Mortal Fae
by RShanaynayChand
Summary: AU. Aurora is the lead singer of an up and coming band that her grief filled father Stephan manages and boyfriend Phillip plays the guitar in. What happens when Maleficent, a mysterious and alluring fellow musician appears with bassist friend Diaval in the neighbourhood and attempts to show Aurora that there's more to life than squeaky clean garage bands? Eventual Malora.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:**

**Inspiration taken from a wonderful liitle fic called "so put another dime in the jukebox, baby" formed by strangesmallbard (previously Merida's-Hair) which you can read here u/2040967/ (which I highly encourage everyone to do, it's amazing!)**

**Soooo… Hello one and all! This is my first EVER fanfiction (scary stuff) so please be nice!**

**Although criticism is of course welcomed as long as it is of the constructive kind. Let me know if you love it, hate it, whatever, but don't be a stranger, your opinions can only make me a better writer and therefore this a better fanfiction!**

**Also, this first chapter is pretty grim in tone/subject matter. I swear it won't all be like this! I'll try to update as often as possible but with University starting back soon I make no promises. I really have picked a wonderful time to start writing…**

**Ahh well!**

**Enjoy!**

"Stop, Stop STOP!"

Aurora winced slightly at the piercing voice that managed to cut through the sound of Phillip's latest attempt at a guitar solo that currently wailied through the amp.

"God damn it people, you really think that sounded good enough? Anywhere NEAR good enough?! We have two months. That's it!"

She massaged her temple lightly, her head beginning to pound softly from her fathers relentless yelling combined with the ringing that often accompanied her head during practice. Why did she forget to bring aspirin. Again.

"I thought we sounded tight!"

Her bright blue eyes opened slowly upon hearing Phillip's voice. His enthusiasm, usually a source of great encouragement and one of the few things that could improve her mood when she felt like this, was grating on her today.

Stephan was pacing the garage, his anger rolling off him in waves effectively crippling any enthusiasm Aurora may have been able to muster. He was always angry nowadays.

"As much as I appreciate the optimism Phillip," Stephan began to snarl, "If you think that monstrosity of a solo you just attempted could pass as 'tight' then we have a bigger problem than I first thought!"

Aurora couldn't help but feel bad as she saw Phillip deflate before her father, his entire demeanour slumping with his shoulders. Clearly she wasn't the only one feeling the strain today.

She sighed audibly and bent to pick up a bottle of water she'd placed beside the microphone stand earlier, her long blonde waves following the curves of her body as she moved.

Swigging deeply from the bottle, the liquid ran down her throat, soothing the burn that only several hours of singing could give you.

"Father please, we've been out here for hours, we're all tired, can't we rest for five minutes?"

Stephan stopped his pacing and snapped his head towards his daughter. His eyes drilled into hers and she flinched slightly at the rage apparent beneath them, but refused to break his gaze. Years of perfecting the doe eyed damsel face must've paid off as he broke first, squeezing his eyes tight shut and grinding his palms into his sockets in frustration.

"Fine. Five minutes."

With that he retreated back into the house via the side door, slamming it for good measure behind him, the glass panes reverberating with the force.

Warm hands grazed Aurora's as she turned back towards the rest of the band. Deep chocolate brown eyes met her ocean blue ones as she allowed Phillip's fingers to interlace with her own.

"Hey, it'll be fine, you'll see. He's just had a rough day, we all have."

A limp smile graced her lips momentarily before she leaned her head against Phillip's shoulder.

"What if he's right? What if two months isn't long enough? We've been waiting for this for so long and…what if we're not good enough? What if I blow it.?"

She tried to nuzzle closer into the crook of Phillip's neck, struggling to hide her gloomy expression and the few tears that had sprang to her eyes from him. Phillip released her from his embrace, cupping her chin, forcing her to meet his soft gaze.

"We need some work, that much is true, but we've got this."

The pounding in her head returned, more urgent this time, but somehow holding Phillip's hand and with his words flowing over her, she began to believe him and allowed his words to soothe her.

"You sounded amazing tonight, any label in town would be lucky to have you. To have _us_."

With his hand still cupping her chin, he pulled her face closer to his, allowing his lips to meet hers briefly, lingering slightly before he shot her a charming smile, waltzing back off to retune his guitar.

As soon as he was gone, Aurora allowed herself to retreat inside her head, her fears creeping slowly back to the forefront of her mind without Phillip's presence to ward them off.

Her father had such high expectations of her. She knew she could sing, her father always claimed she'd been blessed at birth and that he always knew she'd make it. But as the countdown to the new talent showcase loomed, she couldn't help but doubt herself. Her whole life felt like it had been leading up to this moment and now she wondered if she was good enough. Was the band good enough to get signed.

And what if they weren't? This was everything she'd ever dreamed of, the only thing she'd ever really wanted in life. She had to prove to herself that they could do it, but based on the sketchy practice she couldn't help but wonder if her father was right after all.

Taking a few more sips of water, she shook her head, trying to rid herself of the nagging thoughts that haunted her and observed her fellow band mates.

Phillip was leant over his guitar, head bowed low allowing his brown hair to flop over his face slightly. Every now and then he would sweep a hand up in a hopeless attempt to keep it out of his eyes, only to have a lock flop back down again.

Despite his blindly optimistic outlook of their situation, she could sense the tension in his muscular shoulders and see the worry set into his face as his fingers lithely turned the tuning pegs, interspersed only by the occasional strum of a string. He was trying to be strong for her and she admired him for it, was grateful beyond belief.

Grateful.

It was one of the only things she felt towards Phillip nowadays, a fact that was also a cause for concern

It wasn't that she didn't adore him, because she did. He was her first love, he'd been there when she lost her mother, always willing to help ease the load at home, often coming over to do menial tasks, anything to help her and her father. She could recall occasions where Phillip would arrive at her house, cleaning products in hand and help her clean up the mess her father had left around the house. Beer bottles had littered the floor, interrupted only by the occasional pizza box, yet Phillip never commented, never once gazed upon her with pity or judgment. His loyalty as a friend was unswerving and Aurora knew she could never repay him for his kindness and support towards her and her father. She really couldn't have gone through it without him, couldn't imagine what she would've done if he hadn't had been there to help her, to love her.

Phillip had always been the most obvious choice for a boyfriend, and perhaps that wasn't a bad thing. His and her father were close friends when they were younger and their friendship maintained throughout their older years, bringing Aurora and Phillip close together naturally. And he was good to her, made her feel safe, began to fill the ever present void her mothers death had left in her heart, so why did she still feel empty? Why did she feel like she was waiting for something bigger, something _more_?

Aurora wanted passion. She wanted to be with someone who made her _burn_, who challenged her and pushed her to be more than she was. A love so deep that it didn't just trickle into the cracks in her heart, but filled them so completely that it spilled over and returned the light that she had once possessed and knew was still in her somewhere.

Running her fingers through her hair, still slightly damp with sweat she began to braid the blonde mess swiftly, hoping that removing her hair from her face might help clear her mind, help her re-focus and ignore the doubts gnawing at her mind.

Phillip must've sensed her looking at him. Not hard considering she'd practically bored a hole in the side of his head whilst pondering her feelings. His face lit up as he looked upon her, his entire expression softening as he waited for her to return his smile. She obliged before turning quickly back to her water, ashamed at herself for thinking badly of him.

She closed her eyes again, turning her thoughts instead to her father who she could hear slamming more doors in the house, clearly on another one of his rampages.

Remembering a time when he wasn't angry was a near impossible task now, she couldn't picture the last time she'd seen him smile, could no longer see the way his eyes crinkled at the corners as he laughed at one of her silly jokes or how his mouth tilted slightly to the side as he smiled, slightly off kilter but infectious. Now the only expression he wore was one of anger or pain.

When her mother had died, a piece of her father did too. She could see it in the glances he shot at Aurora sometimes, the agony of seeing his lost love reflected so greatly in Aurora's innocent blue eyes, her mother mocking him from beyond.

He'd been kind once, his happiness spread to those around him and shone blindingly. He had patience beyond that of a saint. Endless hours had been spent with Aurora, passing on his extensive knowledge of music, slaving willingly over the piano, smiling at all of Aurora's blunders, encouraging her to follow her dreams and to never give up on anything worth having, to be in a band just like he once was. It was hard to believe looking at him now that music had ever made him happy, that _anything_ had, but it was true. The band had taken a hiatus when Aurora was born, her father wanting to be there for her, watch her grow and care for her. Be a real father.

He had thrived as a father in a way that he never had as a band member, and that was okay by him, the light inside of him merely changing colour from a startling golden, pure and innocent, to that of a deep blue, one that matched Aurora's eyes.

That light went out the day her mother died and left this shadow of a man in her fathers place.

It still pained Aurora to think of her mother. The passage of time had not yet healed her wounds, they wept and oozed openly every time she looked in the mirror, seeing only her mother in herself, every time she saw her father blanch at her eyes meeting his, every time she saw Phillip look at her filled with a gentle concern when she had her pensive moments. If she was being honest with herself, Aurora knew that a piece of her father wasn't the only thing her mother had taken with her. The emptiness threatened to swallow her where she sat, surrounded by those dearest to her, who had brought her the closest thing to a glimmer of happiness. The closest thing, but she knew, nowhere near close enough.

Phillip had returned his focus to his guitar, unaware of the depth of Aurora's pain, unaware of what she really needed.

"Do you think I should use the reverb in the chorus or leave it clean babe?"

Aurora's head shot towards Phillip's voice, surprised at how close he now sat. When did he move?

"Huh?"

There was that look again, the one that made her boil inside. A mixture of adoration and patronizing concern. It reminded her of the way her aunts used to look at her when she asked a question that she apparently didn't need to know the answer to, like the time she asked them why her father had a strange almost medicinal lingering smell after drinking the funny water in the glass bottle. And why this water made him sick and his head pound and his mood bleak the following day.

Vodka. She could use a shot or two right about now.

"Babe?"

"Whatever you think. Whatever you choose will be fine."

Phillip's brow creased slightly at her answer.

"You okay? You seem kind of distracted?"

Aurora tried her best to smile earnestly. What she probably produced was a deformed version of her usually glorious smile.

"I'm fine honestly, just…tired you know?"

Phillip seemed not to notice the mangled half smile and simply nodded, allowing his hand to rest upon her cheek.

"We'll wrap it up here soon, we'll nail the next one I promise you, and your father will have to let us go."

Aurora snorted, completely unconvinced, but too exhausted to argue back. She'd learnt long ago that sometimes with Phillip, it was best to allow him to try his best to comfort her and accept his outlook.

As if he could hear her internal monologue, Stephan barged back through the side garage door.

"Five minutes is up, back to it!"

Taking one last deep swig and placing the bottle back on the floor, Aurora heaved herself up from her perch on the amp, scurrying back into place in front of the microphone stand.

Phillip's hand dropped from her cheek and he too hauled himself up, strapping his guitar back over his shoulder, strumming lightly and memorizing the chord patterns.

"From the top. Oh and Phillip…None of that solo bullshit this time, understood?"

Phillip nodded obediently and Aurora's heart sank slightly. No one dared stand up to her father, not even her supposed prince.

"Alright, 5, 6, 7, 8!"

Phillip had been wrong. Not that this particularly surprised Aurora, but usually his naturally optimistic disposition rubbed off on her and she'd begun to hope that her father would let them finish early.

It was another hour before they had sounded up to Stephan's standards. Another hour of repeating the same song over and over until the lyrics became meaningless to her, the words starting to swirl inside Aurora's head echoing without feeling.

Even after all their hard work, Stephan had only graced them with calling it "Acceptable" before retreating to the house again.

He had paused as he reached the door and spoken to Aurora, a feat that startled her slightly. He usually avoided any direct form of contact with her.

"You might want to stay at Phillip's tonight, I'm moving more stuff out."

This had made Aurora stop her usual post practice ritual of helping the others tidy away their equipment ready to begin again tomorrow. She sought his eyes with her own, but found his fixed dejectedly upon the floor as always, although this time she understood why.

Once a fortnight her father tried to bring himself to clear out her mother's belongings. And once a fortnight her father broke down into uncontrollable sobs or later passed out from the excessive amounts of alcohol he consumed to numb the pain, or at least make him forget why he was sad for a while. Either way Aurora couldn't stand to see a grown man lay bare his torment and had fled to her aunts house the first time it had happened. Two years later and the only change in this ritual had been whose house she now fled to.

Trying to keep the wounds on her heart sewn together and bite back the salty sting that had risen up to the bridge of her nose and the back of her eyes, Aurora replied softly that she would stay at Phillip's.

"If that's okay with you?" She added, directing her question at Phillip.

Her beautiful features were twisted with sorrow that she tried in vain to keep hidden. Her blue orbs swam beneath the tears that were poised ready to fall and reveal her sadness.

Phillip gazed upon his girlfriend and kissed the blonde crown of hair upon her head, wishing more than anything that he could take the pain away.

"Of course babe, you don't even have to ask."

Aurora allowed herself to be tucked under Phillip's arm, which was swung lightly over her shoulder. Her sadness now tinged with guilt as she felt Phillip's genuine love and care for her radiate over her from his tight embrace.

"Thank you."

She smiled a watery smile at him, allowing the tears to creep silently down her face as she heard the click of the garage door closing and the first strangled sob emitted by her father from behind it.

The cool night air sobered Aurora of her sadness marginally and she fought to regain composure. The star filled sky lit up the darkness, illuminating Eric and Henry's faces as she said goodbye to them and started walking towards Phillip's car, feeding off his warmth beside her.

The drive was silent, but comfortably so, the only interruption being Phillip reaching over to touch Aurora's cheek or arm, trying to comfort her. Aurora ignored his attempts and allowed her eyes to watch the streets fly by, soothing her far more than a touch could.

As her blue eyes flitted backwards and forwards, trying to focus on the sky above, she felt her eyelids become weighted with sleep, the day finally catching up with her. She could feel a tickle in the back of her throat too. Great, she thought, another sore throat, just what I needed right now.

When Phillip pulled into his driveway, Aurora was already out for the count, her face the picture of peace, all sorrow gone from her features, smoothed out in the escape that sleep brings.

He stopped to brush a stray strand of golden hair away from her face and admire her for a minute before lifting her from the car.

"C'mon sleeping beauty, let's get you to bed."

He picked her up with relative ease, trying his best not to wake her as he closed the car door behind him and fumbled with the lock at his front door. As the front door closed behind them, Aurora mumbled softly.

"Hush, it's okay, we're here now."

Ascending the stairs, Phillip pressed his lips against her forehead and smiled sweetly as her expression returned once again to that of peace. He tucked her beneath his duvet once inside his room and climbed in beside her as he had done several times before.

Once the duvet was pulling over the pair of them, he turned to pull her closer to him, but with slight disappointment found that Aurora's back was turned towards him, her arms and legs spread out making it near impossible to reach her.

Sighing, Phillip also turned his back, trying to calm his thoughts and rid himself of the doubts that had plagued his mind for the past year, and focus on the beautiful girl that he adored sleeping deeply next to him.

When slumber arrived for him it was hard to say who slept with more tranquility; Aurora, who in sleep was free from the empty void in her chest, or Phillip who in his dreams could recall the angelic being who once loved him with all of her heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

**Hello again!**

**I'm going on holiday for a week so won't have time to**** update ****again for a while *sobs into the**** all ****inclusive drinks***

**SO I'm putting this chapter up a little ahead of schedule. I'll try and**** update ****regularly but as ever, can make no promises!**

**Please feel free to review etc.**

**Have a wonderful day, until next time.**

"You know, I appreciate you coming over and all Mal, but when I asked you to help, well…I kind of thought you might actually help."

Maleficent was bored. Turns out helping Diaval move into his new house was nowhere near as fun as she'd thought it might be. She'd envisioned a backwards version of a 80's movie style montage with Diaval tripping on some inanimate object, throwing the box of plates and cutlery on the floor and shouting profanities whilst she tried to contain her laughter.

What she had instead was a very capable flighty man flitting to and from the moving van with ease, carrying box after box without throwing any of them around. Not even a little stumble. How monotonous, she thought.

"Well you thought entirely wrong Diaval."

She ran a hand through her dark brown hair before patting down her jeans looking for a hair tie.

Her long fingers caught on something more rewarding in her pocket instead.

"Cigarette?"

Diaval glared at his friend slightly, but soon sighed in surrender and joined her on the door stoop, taking the cigarette she was offering as he sat.

"You see, providing tobacco; Help,"

"Not that I don't appreciate this kind of help," he replied between the task of lighting his cigarette and inhaling, "but it's not the kind I need right now."

Maleficent scowled at Diaval, lighting her own cigarette and taking a long drag.

"You seem to be doing a fine job without me, much to my disappointment I must add."

Diaval ignored her comment, deciding instead to change the subject, knowing that trying to convinve Maleficent to do something she didn't want to was a near impossible task.

"What d'you think anyway?" Diaval motioned to the grand house behind him as he spoke.

Maleficent flicked ash from her cigarette onto the pavement and watched the gentle breeze carry it away down the street.

"It's…nice."

It really was, she thought as she surveyed the street in front of her and the house behind her once again.

The street was basked in sunlight at present, the tall trees that lined the sidewalk providing some shade in places, but the sun still managed to dapple through the vibrant green leaves that matched the colour of her eyes.

The houses all looked the same though, very suburban. To Maleficent it screamed family living. Ordinary and boring family living, a place to coop up all the sniveling snobbish types. She'd been surprised when Diaval had told her the name of the street he was moving to. He'd never been one for conventional homes, his first ever house being on an old abandoned farm, surrounded by trees of dizzying heights and plenty of hills from which to take in the vast expanse of the sky, something she knew Diaval loved.

Which is exactly why she'd snorted when he named his new abode as being on Faye Street. It was so…normal, and not Diaval.

"You can say what you really think you know."

"I know that," Maleficent snapped "do you really think I would hold back if I didn't like it?"

Diaval didn't recoil at Maleficent's tone, years of friendship had taught him to no longer be surprised at her outbursts and constantly changing mood.

She glanced at him, almost apologetically, but kept her head high and defiant.

"I mean it. It's nice, it's just…not you."

Maleficent watched him mulling this over, watching the street thrumming with life delicately.

She could hear the squeal of children in the distance, the laughter echoing off the identical garages and seeping through the summer air. The soft click and spit of sprinklers could also be heard. Whether they were the cause of the screams of delight Maleficent couldn't tell. Silly beasts, ruining the silence with their insufferable racket.

"Well maybe it's time for this to be _me_." Diaval replied after a while, stubbing out his half smoked cigarette and tossing it into a nearby plant pot.

"I'm not as young as I once was Mal, my days of being a free spirited hippie cum rock star promoting free love and music and peace for all are coming to an end."

His smile was bittersweet and he allowed himself a small chuckle upon seeing Maleficent's raised eyebrow aimed at him.

"How absurd. I'm older than you and yet I'm not quite ready to shack up on Faye Street just yet." She sneered merely at the thought. She could think of nothing worse than turning into a housewife whose only pleasure in life comes in the form of their half asleep husbands dipping them twice before passing out, beer still in hand and belly bulging over the side of the mattress.

Diaval laughed whole heartedly at Maleficent's look of disgust at the thought of the simple life.

"Still against the idea of true love then?" Diaval risked a teasing nudge of Maleficent's shoulder and was rewarded by a glare that could strike a better man than he down where he stood.

"What does love have to do with not wanting to give up my life of leisure and luxury?" Maleficent stretched out and closed her eyes blissfully as the wind picked up slightly, making a welcome sweep of cool air brush across her face, beneath the angular planes of her cheekbones.

"It's just, it's been a while since there's been anyone for you, you know? Maybe, maybe the idea of Faye Street wouldn't be so hideous if-"

"Diaval."

Maleficent's tone was stern and commanded silence of her friend.

"Well what happened to that girl from that band?"

Maleficent snorted despite herself. She knew any type of reaction would only encourage Diaval, and that was the last thing she wanted.

"Very specific, narrows it down well for me."

Diaval rolled his eyes at Maleficent's drawling words, growing more impatient with her but unwilling to let the subject drop.

"The redhead, the one who was very keen?"

Maleficent opened one eye lazily and focused on Diaval, eyebrow already raising slightly.

"She was a bit of fun Diaval, as they all are and all have been."

She snapped her eyes shut again after uttering the last part. Not quite all.

"Yes, but what hap-"

"Diaval."

The same tone, this time more insistent and terse. That man really doesn't know when to hold his tongue, Maleficent thought.

"Fine, fine! We won't talk about the notions of love"

"The _silly _notions of love Diaval my friend."

He shook his head, exasperated by the intimidating beauty sat next to him.

Despite the warm weather, Maleficent was dressed in her signature colour; black. Black skinny jeans that hugged her hips perfectly and accentuated her willowy thin legs that seemed to go on for days. Her torso was covered by a form fitting plain black vest top that Diaval was pretty sure had once been his. He could tell because it was slightly too small length wise, revealing a strip of pale skin that gleamed slightly in the afternoon sun. The light played in her hair, revealing silky smooth undertones of honey beneath the hazelnut layers which exposed themselves even more as she ran her delicate fingers through her hair, basking in the warmth of the glowing ball of heat high in the sky.

Not wanting to draw attention to the fact he'd been staring, Diaval joined Maleficent in her basking, edging away from the relative shade of the stoop and into the centre of the small garden that was now his own.

Maleficent eased an eye open again, watching her friend recline against one of the boxes he had yet to move into the house. Despite their differences, Diaval had been her best friend for an absurdly long time He'd found her when she was in her darkest years, all anger and bitterness. Not that she was any better now, she thought to herself, almost laughing, but compared to her years as an unruly and rebellious youth, she was far improved now.

She'd been a troubled teen and she knew it, the only thing besides Diaval that had managed to get her through those years was her love of music. She'd been pretty serious as a musician at one point, not that she liked to dwell on those days, but she'd been a part of a pretty successful band, even got signed to a label for a while.

No, those weren't the times she was thinking about. A rare smile brushed her features as she thought back to the times at The Moors, a seedy bar downtown that had been more of a home to her than her own ever was. Balthazar had taken her in when he saved her from a fight with a much older and larger man than herself. Not that she'd needed any help she thought, recalling the feeling of tearing his flesh with her nails, the blood seeping from the gash in his face and trickling down her hands.

She'd been thrashing wildly when Balthazar clocked the guy right in the face, knocked him out clean with one punch. This wasn't exactly surprising considering Balthazar made Maleficent look like a dwarf in comparison, he easily towered over almost everyone he met. This act of kindness though, however unnecessary had touched Maleficent in her teenage years. She'd never had anyone to protect her or take care of her like that before.

She'd begun to hang out there more and more, learning that Balthazar was in fact the house drummer, playing on the open mic nights for any bands that needed him. It was on one of these particular nights that she'd got exceedingly drunk (too much Sailor Jerry courtesy of Balthazar) and had allowed Balthazar to talk her into playing for the small crowd that haunted the place into the early hours.

She couldn't remember much about the performance, probably due to the rum, but she recalled Balthazar's reaction upon hearing her play. He was furious that she'd never told him she could play, having sat there listening to him grumbling for months about how he didn't have a decent guitarist or vocalist for an actual band as opposed to the house band. Mentioning that Diaval also rocked the bass only made him angrier, much to Maleficent's delight.

Ahh The Moors, she thought, grinning openly now. She could almost hear the music.

Music? She sat up slightly adjusting herself so as to hear better.

"Diaval?"

"Hmm?"

He was still sprawled on the lawn, having moved the box out of his way, favouring lying spread eagle on the grass.

"Do you hear something?"

He groaned as he rolled onto his front, watching Maleficent curiously. Her green eyes reduced to slits with her concentration.

"Something? I hear many things Mal, I hear the wind whipping gently through the valley, the delighted screams of playing childr-"

This earned him another murderous glare, to which he averted his eyes.

"Seriously Diaval, do you not hear it?"

Sighing, Diaval also sat up, craning his neck as if seeing further might aid his hearing.

Faintly, almost indecipherable over the sound of the children, a few notes hit his ears, carried on the valley breeze he'd described in jest moments ago.

"Oh, the guitar?" He hauled himself up now, brushing off his knees as he did so, preparing to start unloading boxes again.

"Yes you halfwit!" Maleficent rolled her eyes at his slow senses and continued to focus on the distant guitar playing, that had started gaining volume.

"That'll most likely be the Rose kid."

Maleficent arched an eyebrow at his nonchalant expression, too distracted by the turn in the conversation to even register his stumble as he attempted to carry two boxes at once up the steps leading to the front door.

"Rose kid?"

Diaval swore as he dropped the boxes unceremoniously just inside the doorway and rubbed his stubbed toe roughly.

"Yeah, when I was viewing the place I heard some killer vocals from over there" Diaval gestured noncommittally past Maleficent, who turned in the direction of his limp hand.

"So I went to investigate and found some blonde chick in the garage. She didn't see me at first so I stood and listened. She was incredible Mal, I haven't heard anything like it in years."

Maleficent was still facing the direction he had pointed in, her eyes seeking an open garage door for the source of the music.

"Hmmm…Rose you say?

Diaval continued to struggle with the boxes, half tempted to ask Maleficent to help him.

"Ouch!...Yeah, I think her name was Audrey? Or Aurora? Aurora! Yes definitely Aurora, because you know, I found it funny seeing as you're Maleficent and-"

"Yes yes, hilarious Diaval. How old is she?"

"Grouchy Maleficent has returned then." Diaval muttered, throwing more boxes onto the growing pile by the door.

"I don't know Mal, I didn't ask!"

"Guess."

Maleficent's eyes had returned to Diaval now. She couldn't see anything through those damn decorative lawn ornaments that seemed to adorn every house on Faye Street.

Diaval met her gaze and was surprised by the intensity he saw there. Why was she so concerned about this kid?

"18? 19 maybe? I don't know Mal, all I know is that she had a killer voice, told me she was in a band and that she was practicing for some talent showcase that they were performing in in a couple of months and that I should let her know if the noise was too much. She seemed real nice."

Diaval smiled as he remembered the conversation. Sweet kid, she'd looked completely at ease whilst singing and he really meant it; the girl had a decent set of pipes on her, but looked embarrassed to have been caught. He'd almost felt bad for prying, feeling like he'd caught her in the middle of a very private act, but by nature he was nosy and years of being friends with Maleficent had taught him that sometimes if you want to find something out, the best way to do it is go and shove your nose right in the middle of it and annoy everyone so much in the hope that they'll relinquish information even if only to make you shut up.

Or get them drunk. The latter always worked better with Maleficent.

But considering he could hardly get this girl drunk, he'd simply apologised for sneaking up on her and enquired as to what she was practicing for.

"She's in a band?"

Maleficent's cold voice cut through his reverie.

"Hmm yes, Blue Blood I think it was. Local, apparently they're kind of a big deal in these parts, I googled them when I got in."

Maleficent turned her head back towards the direction of the music.

"Blue Blood." She whispered to no one in particular. "Why have we never heard of them if they're a big deal?"

"Fuck! You know Mal I really could use some help here."

Shooting a glare Diaval's way, Maleficent begrudgingly picked up the nearest box and followed Diaval into the hallway of the house, placing the box next to a large end table that Diaval had clearly assembled in a hurry.

"Ikea?"

Diaval span to meet Maleficent's sparkling green eyes and tried not to retort, knowing he'd be fighting a losing battle.

"It was on sale!" he huffed indignantly and stormed past her back into the yard earning a chuckle from Maleficent.

"Anyway, weren't you obsessing over Aurora before you decided to insult my furniture choice?"

Maleficent unconsciously turned her head towards the music that was still playing, louder now. And also more out of tune.

"I was not obsessing! It's just…I don't know…"

"Maybe this neighbourhood isn't so bad after all, huh?" Diaval grinned impishly before ducking back into the house.

"But seriously, why haven't we heard of them? We know pretty much all the bands on the local scene?"

Diaval shrugged, running his hand over the Ikea table, trying to push in the nails that were sticking out back in with his thumb.

"I guess they're new? Or maybe they don't play at dive's like The Moors" Diaval's smile grew a little wider at the mention of The Moors, and Maleficent allowed her features to soften too.

"I won't have a bad word spoken about The Moors!" Maleficent playfully slapped Diaval's arm.

"OW! Bloody hell woman, watch it with your nails! Or talons more like!" He rubbed a scratch on his arm and looked up pathetically at Maleficent.

"Be a man." Maleficent turned on her heel, followed closely by Diaval.

The music had increased in volume again, the guitar now wailing out across the street.

Both Maleficent and Diaval winced slightly at the sound.

"Ouch, that hurts more than your gouging of my arm did!"

"It was hardly a gouging, you're so dramatic." Maleficent tried to ignore the completely off kilter notes hitting her ears as she grabbed another box from the truck, gritting her teeth as the wailing got louder still.

Upon reaching the house, Maleficent threw the box inside, and turned straight around with intent as a particularly pitchy chord met her ears.

Diaval walked to the back of the truck and was graced with the sight of it being empty.

"Huh, looks like our work here is done Mal, see, helping isn't so bad after all. Mal?"

His eyes scanned the garden and porch but found nothing. Hearing the familiar sound of boots clacking on pavement, he swirled around spotting the retreating figure of Maleficent halfway across the street already.

"Mal! MAL! What are you doing?!"

The brunette turned to face her friend but continued strutting backwards towards the open garage diagonal to Diaval's house.

"I'm going to teach some brat how to play a C chord properly. You coming?"

Her delicate fingers reached for another cigarette, holding one for Diaval in her other outstretched hand.

"Jesus Mal," Diaval murmered before jogging after her.

Taking the cigarette, he inhaled sharply feeling the smoke burn its way down his throat.

"Please try and play nice Mal, these are my neighbours after all, I don't want them to hate me just yet."

Maleficent wore a mischievous expression, knowing that her opinion was most likely going to cause a small war.

She tuned Diaval's pleas out as she rounded the hedge that lined the sidewalk and finally came into view of the racket. She paused a few metres away from the open garage, choosing to watch them play for a while.

Her eyes scanned each member, trying to find the source of the musical diarrhea that she had been forced to endure for the past fifteen minutes or so.

In no time at all she'd located the source to a gangly, floppy haired teenage boy, who currently had his eyes closed in passion, fingers flailing wildly over the fretboard. Absolutely butchering it, she thought, shaking her head amusedly and throwing her cigarette but on the lawn.

At that moment her eyes locked with the blonde that Diaval must've been raving about.

Fuck.

Beautiful wasn't the word. She was positively ethereal. Blonde waves toppled down from the messy bun she'd donned, and framed a face that was still softened by youth, quite the contrast to Maleficent's sharp and pronounced features. Her cerulean blue eyes were hooded slightly as she crooned into the microphone, one hand wrapped loosely around the mic itself, the other grasping the trailing lead. Maleficent watched her body move in time with the beat of the drum, making out her hips swaying and grinding against the air beneath a simple floaty white dress. It's a shame it doesn't look like we'll be having any rain today Maleficent thought, before mentally chastising herself.

The girl had looked away, but her cheeks seemed to have become redder under Maleficent's gaze. With a smirk, Maleficent continued her assessment of the girl, lapping up her every move.

The girl threw her head back as the chorus kicked in, her voice easily hitting every note perfectly despite the motion of her head, her breath rasping through the speakers and washing over Maleficent's senses, temporarily making her forget her reason for coming over.

Oh right. _That._

She snapped her gaze away from the girl gloomily and focused again on the douche in the jeans that were far too low hanging murdering the song.

Maleficent wondered how he would take the news that he was a god awful guitar player? Would he cry? God she hoped so, it'd been far too long since she'd made someone cry, not counting Balthazar or Diaval when they played emotional chicken with her.

As the song rose to a crescendo, and the key changed, Maleficent allowed her eyes to wander back over to the girl. She found blue eyes already upon her, and was momentarily taken off guard. She returned her composure quickly, hoping the girl hadn't noticed.

It seemed she hadn't, and Maleficent waited for the girl to look away again.

Although this time she didn't. She continued the grinding motion and allowed her eyes to slip closed slightly, staring directly at Maleficent from under hooded lashes.

_Fuck. _Did the girl mean to look quite so alluring?

Not one to lose face, Maleficent merely continued smirking, trying to make her face unreadable to the girl, leaving her expression neutral despite the thrumming heat that had begun spreading across her lower abdomen at the girls gaze.

And with one last thrust from the girl, the song was over. The spell was effectively broken as the girl's eyes snapped away from Maleficent's quickly, the red colour returning to her cheeks.

Next to her Diaval clapped enthusiastically, even going so far as to whistle, placing fingers in his mouth and blowing past them. Maleficent rolled her eyes at his display, raising an eyebrow for good measure too.

She could feel the girls eyes on her, but seeing a shit eating grin on the face of the floppy haired chord slayer was enough to remind Maleficent of her original intentions.

Maleficent began clapping her hands slowly as she approached the garage door, making a beeline for the boy, relishing in his slightly terrified look as he took in all six feet of her.

Now this, _this, _is going to be fun.

"Well, Well, _Well."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A/N**

**Profusely sorry for the delay, although this didn't take long to draft it was a killer to edit and get it how I wanted it, and even now I'm not too sure of it. Gahhhhhh.**

**Also, as you can tell, my guitar knowledge is pretty rudimentary as I only dabble in playing (I'm probably worse than Phillip), so please forgive me if I've said something super stupid and wrong and PLEASE do tell me if I have so I can edit it.**

**Also, I'm moving back to Uni soon so will probably soon be swamped with work *****cry cry cry***** but I will try my best to update regularly.**

**As ever review, comment blah blah blah, have a great day until next time!**

**P.S. Someone asked for my tumblr so just saying now that it's rshanaynaychand, the same as on here so yes. Feel free to have a gander!**

**Chapter Soundtrack:**

**Sugar – Stretch Princess**

The statuesque and strikingly beautiful brunette strolled into the garage, stopping right in front of Aurora.

Her green eyes smoldered, burning into her own blue ones with an intensity that left her nearly breathless.

"Thank you."

Phillip's voice ghosted over her faintly, washing into both women's consciousness.

The brunette's eyes snapped away, annoyance taking over her features.

"Oh boy, don't mistake my comment as a compliment," she began walking towards Phillip now, slow and purposefully. Like a predator approaching it's helpless prey.

"You should take it as quite the opposite, actually,"

"Oh?"

Phillips brow furrowed in confusion, and what Aurora could detect as a hint of wounded pride.

"You didn't like the song?"

Maleficent continued past Phillip, freeing him of her icy countenance, allowing her hand to graze softly over the amp as she walked.

"On the contrary, the song was fine. Fun. Clean, with just a hint of innuendo. Although I hate to admit, It's a bit of a classic actually."

Aurora watched Phillip's jaw work in contained anger, unable to breathe under the stress floating in the room.

"Then what seemed to be the problem with it?"

Maleficent tried not to laugh at the boy's annoyance and blissful ignorance of his terrible playing. Delusional musicians were her favourite kind.

"Mal..."

Diaval stepped forwards slightly, warning her to go easy. Although watching Maleficent torture helpless adolescents was fun.

Her death stare stopped him in his tracks.

"I tried!" Diaval sighed, holding his hands up in submission. "Good luck kid, you're on your own." Diaval muttered, turning out the garage to smoke some more.

"You really want to know?" Maleficent arched her eyebrow, challenging Phillip, daring him to ask again.

Aurora watched the scene unfold, still gripping the microphone. She watched Phillip's Adam's apple bob up and down as he gulped, clearly intimidated by the woman, although his chin was angled up in a defiant front.

"Yes."

Maleficent sighed heavily. This would be fun.

"Well, for starters you're playing far too high up." She began her pacing again, fingers now trailing along the guitar that wasn't strapped around Phillip's neck.

Mustang. Nice.

"You see, if you played it further up here," at this point she paused, slinging the seemingly spare guitar over her neck "it would give you more freedom to solo in key, instead of flailing around like a squid."

Aurora couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. Two sets of eyes met hers, one filled with anger and betrayal at her outburst, the other with amusement and faint...wonderment?

Phillip tried to compose himself, focusing his attention back on Maleficent, who was still gesturing to the correct position on the fret board.

"But it's the same sound!"

"To the untrained ear, yes, you're playing the same set of notes but further up. But the sound is much cleaner, allows easier for leading into the solo and the chorus."

Maleficent played the notes accordingly, demonstrating the difference.

"And it will make the job easier for Aurora."

Aurora gasped slightly at the use of her name. How did this beautiful woman know her name?

Their eyes met once again, and Aurora felt exposed. There was something about the brunette's gaze that stripped her down completely, searching her soul for something.

Unsure as to what she found in her, the woman turned back to Phillip who was still seething.

"That's bullshit, Aurora doesn't need any help!"

"I'll admit, it was near perfect, vocal wise."

Aurora blushed slightly, averting her eyes to the ground.

Maleficent tried to flash a smile at the girl to reassure her, but found her eyes glued to the floor. She could see the colour rising in her cheeks though.

"But it sounded like when the chorus kicked in there were a few notes you struggled with?"

Allowing her eyes to travel back up, bright green eyes encouraged an answer, imploring her to reply.

"Y-yes." She could barely manage one word under the watch of those burning eyes.

"Babe you sounded tight, don't make her feel like-"

Exhaling a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding in, Aurora attempted to regain her composure and force something out of her mouth besides monosyllabic dross.

"It's fine, she's right."

Phillip approached Aurora, guitar still strapped behind his back swaying as he walked.

"What? You never said anything?"

"Because I didn't know what was wrong! I mean, it sounded off but, I don't, I mean I can't-"

"She can't play the guitar well enough to know. Apparently, neither can you."

Maleficent didn't like the way the boy approached Aurora. Not one bit. His tone was menacing and he towered over her, clearly intimidating her.

His attention returned to Maleficent now, momentarily distracted from his domestic.

"Excuse me?"

Maleficent sighed dramatically. Clearly the boy was as stupid as he looked.

"If you could play as well as you think you do, you'd have realised what the problem was, recognised that Aurora was straining her voice to hit the notes and known to play it further down."

Striding towards Maleficent, fury evident, Phillip squared up to her, pulling himself up to his full height which was still a few inches shorter than the mahogany haired woman in front of him.

Maleficent stood her ground, eyebrow raised and hands still poised over the guitar.

"And who are you exactly, to tell me how to play?" Phillip managed to spit out of gritted teeth.

Chuckling softly to herself, Maleficent closed the short distance between her and the boy, seeing his eyes shrink slightly in fear despite himself.

Her fingers stroked the body of his guitar, pausing over the cable leading to the amp, before sharply pulling it out.

"Not that it's any of your business, boy, but I know a thing or two about playing."

Plugging the cable into the guitar currently strapped around her neck, Maleficent couldn't help but revel in the buzzing sound that emitted as the electricity poured down the wire, breathing life into the chords she was strumming softly.

"Care to count us in, Aurora?"

Her name sounded like a dare on the woman's lips that were quirked upwards in that same smirk she was gazing at her with earlier. Eyes twinkled slightly, almost playful.

Aurora knew that to play now, to align herself with this woman before her, to defy Phillip, would cause trouble. Trouble that she didn't need right now, not so close to the showcase. But everything she was saying made sense. The guitar did sound off, and it was straining her voice.

Sensing an internal struggle, Maleficent turned to Phillip.

"With your permission of course? I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes." Her expression contradicted her words, as did the tone of voice in which they were spoken.

"Hell no! I don't know who the hell you think you are, but-"

"Phillip please!"

Aurora spoke softly and calmly, begging Phillip with her eyes to be reasonable.

"Just one song. If it helps us get better..." She allowed her voice to trail off, leaving the rest unsaid.

Thoughts of their conversation at band practice the night before crossed Phillip's mind, Aurora's worried voice swirling around. _What if I'm not good enough?_

The pleading look in Aurora's eyes was enough to make him reconsider.

Running his fingers through his hair, he turned back to Maleficent.

"Fine. Just play the goddamn song. D'you know the chords?"

Maleficent scoffed as she turned the tuning pegs nimbly, grumbling under her breath about the way it was poorly tuned.

"I think I've got them." The arrogant smirk that accompanied her words was fairly unnecessary, but there was something about skinny jean wearing chord slaying douchebag boy that was profusely irritating.

"So, Aurora, count us in?"

"Ermm Henry usually does that."

Maleficent glanced at the weedy looking boy behind the drum set. He waved noncommittally, to which Maleficent shook her head in slight despair. Who on earth put this band of misfits together?

"Whatever, let's just get this over with so mine and Diaval's ears can be spared."

Diaval bowed in thanks at Maleficent's words, cigarette still in hand, earning a smile from both Maleficent and Aurora.

"5,6,7,8."

On the weedy boy's count, Maleficent began strumming the guitar, powerfully, but precisely.

Aurora couldn't help but watch the woman move. The guitar was like an extension of her, her fingers stroking the strings with a gentleness and effortlessness that Phillip could never emulate. She had complete control over the instrument, but that wasn't to say she played without passion. It was like a light was flowing out of her, pouring into the room. She could see the difference in not just the woman, but the rest of the band. Both Eric and Henry, were playing better than they ever had before, their heads bent over their instruments, pounding out the beat with intent.

Almost missing her cue, Aurora turned back to the microphone focusing on the job in hand. Get your shit together, she thought.

_**"This is a no way out, but I have a need to shine, I have a need to shine with you."**_

Maleficent watched the girl with intrigue. God she really could sing, despite the slightly cheesy song choice, she sang from deep within. Her body swayed with the beat that weedy boy was pounding out, rather well she hated to admit.

There was something so provocative about the girl despite her innocent appearance. Maybe it was the way her hips kept gyrating lightly against the microphone stand, or the half lidded looks she kept coyly shooting her. Or maybe it was just because it had been far too long since Maleficent had last got some.

She couldn't believe how great it felt, the familiar weight of a guitar around her neck and the way in which her fingers, the tips of which were slightly hardened by years of playing, easily coaxed the chords out of the instrument. Sure, playing at the moors was fun; you really couldn't beat messing around with Diaval and Balthazar, but this felt different. This made her feel alive, like she did before.

On the other hand, the entire experience was being made far less pleasant by douche jeans seething by the side of the garage, leaning moodily with his jaw clenching and unclenching. He was even attempting to scowl. How cute.

As the chorus kicked in, Aurora began bouncing slightly, feeding off the energy that Maleficent was giving her. Thrashing her head back and forwards, reveling in the feeling of euphoria she was getting from knowing they sounded great.

Feeling daring, she edged over to Maleficent, poising the microphone stand in between them both.

Maleficent didn't miss a beat and leaned into the microphone, her body inches away from the girl, looking down into her dazzling blue eyes.

"_**Sticking me to my babe**_."

She watched a look of shock pass through the girl as she began to harmonise with her as the chorus ended.

Chuckling under her breath at the girls expression, Maleficent moved back over to the pedals on the floor, getting ready to show douche jeans how a solo is properly done.

Reeling slightly from Maleficent's sudden forward behaviour and blanching at the loss of warmth and electricity that the near contact with her had brought, Aurora dragged the microphone to the centre of the room, taking the mic clean out of the stand.

She begun circulating the room, singing the lyrics pitch perfectly to Eric, whose usual impassive expression was gone, replaced with a goofy smile.

Maleficent watched Aurora twirl her way from band member to band member, shaking her head to the rhythm, her messy bun flopping frantically allowing a few strands loose, framing her face softly.

She was quite the vision, so carefree, the picture of innocence.

Oh how Maleficent would like to corrupt that innocence.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, she couldn't help but notice douche jeans curling and uncurling his fists, probably due to the not so subtle lustful looks she'd been throwing at his girlfriend.

God she really did need to get some.

Overcome with the urge to royally piss the boy off, Maleficent sidled over to Aurora who had returned to the mic stand after her dancing session.

Maleficent made sure to maintain eye contact with the boy as she came up behind Aurora, matching her hip movements to Aurora's, her brown tresses splaying slightly over the younger girls shoulder, bending her head towards the girls exposed neck.

"Slide down, my side and slide down my side and we'll be done."

Aurora could feel the woman's breath on her neck as she sang the words. She couldn't contain the shiver that ran down her spine.

Whipping her head around, her eyes were met with deep green ones, almost flashing with mischief. A half smile upon the woman's plump lips, Aurora found herself staring openly, returning the smile shyly nonetheless, allowing her hips to move naturally with the woman's.

Phillip pushed off from the wall, heading straight for the pair.

Having finished his cigarette, rather enjoying watching the drama unfold, Diaval grabbed the boy's shoulders restraining him from going any further.

"I wouldn't if I were you boy." Although his words were friendly enough, Diaval's tone left no room for arguments.

The boy had balls, he had to admit, and as funny as seeing him attempt to take down Maleficent would be, he continued to hold the boy back. How many more boyfriends did she want to piss off by hitting on their girlfriends? There were only so many that Diaval could take.

Phillip shrugged away from man's touch, resuming his brooding in the corner.

Diaval shot Maleficent a warning look, to which she laughed wholeheartedly and stepped away from the girl still cackling rather evilly at the trouble she'd caused.

Aurora felt confused and thrown off by the way this was all going. Who was this woman and why was she having this effect on her? Luckily years of warbling meant that her voice never faltered despite her constant warring inside.

Maleficent still studied the girl, trying to gauge her thoughts, but the girls face revealed little, the colour that had flushed her cheeks a rosy pink moments before slowly fading as her attention returned to the lyrics.

Seeing this change in the girl spurred her to also turn her attentions back to the music. If she didn't nail this solo then douche jeans would've won. And she couldn't have that.

As the penultimate chorus came to an end, Maleficent felt the eyes of the band shift towards her. Blocking out everything except the smooth feel of the polished wood beneath her palm and the metallic dull slice of strings against her fingertips, she flicked her foot out elegantly, flicking several switches on the pedal board. The guitar responded accordingly, the clean ringing sound turning deep and fuzzy, breathing new life into the song. Long fingers danced gracefully across the fret board, in complete command of every vibration that emitted through the amp.

Despite the fact that Diaval had seen his friend perform many a time, there was something different about this one. She had purpose. She had fight. She was playing from somewhere deep within, fuelled by a passion he hadn't seen from her since the early days. Her head was thrown backwards, eyes closed allowing her hands free reign over the instrument, playing through touch alone. Mahogany hair swung from side to side as her head moved to the music that surrounded her, swelling to a crescendo. Aurora's voice rose beautifully, responding perfectly to the small but significant change that Maleficent had made to the chord progression.

As the final note rang out, all members of the band poured with sweat, panting with exertion, tired but pleased by their efforts.

Diaval erupted into cheers, whooping and hollering like a small child pumped full of sugar.

Maleficent unstrapped the guitar, smiling despite herself and mimicking Diaval's low bow from earlier.

"That was incredible!"

The short excitable blonde had bounded up before Maleficent grinning eagerly mere inches from the woman.

Maleficent contained her gasp of surprise and fought against her natural reaction to recoil when someone invaded her personal space, allowing her smile to remain as she tore her eyes away from Diaval's chocolate brown ones to the girls deep blue ones.

"Thank you, you sounded terrific, that final chorus was phenomenal, sincerely."

Aurora blushed fiercely at the woman's words. She tucked some tendrils of hair that had escaped from her bun behind her ear, unsure as how to respond to the compliment.

"You know it doesn't matter how great it sounded, we can't make any changes."

Ahh. Douche jeans. She'd almost forgotten about him.

Turning slowly to face the boy, Maleficent prepared for the utter garbage that was no doubt about to exit the boy's mouth.

"Every decision is up to Stephan. And well, seeing as he's not here today, I guess we can't change anything, not permanently anyway."

The smug grin on the boss's face wasn't the only thing that made Maleficent's stomach turn.

"Stephan?"

Her voice had taken on an edge, something that didn't go unnoticed by Aurora. There was something more to her question that she didn't quite understand.

"Yes. Aurora's father. He's our manager."

"Your father?"

Maleficent's mouth had dried up, her words almost rasping out of her mouth. Surely a coincidence?

Blue eyes met green again as Aurora tried to probe the woman finding her reactions near impossible to decipher.

"Yes. He's usually at practice but he is... he's... otherwise occupied today."

The words sounded hollow even to her own ears, Aurora thought, as she broke eye contact with the woman, blinking furiously. Something about Maleficent's calm and steady expression threatened to push her over the brink of tears.

Her father had been in no fit state to do anything today, Aurora thought. Pictures of her father sprawled across the sofa, face crushed into the cushions around which a small patch of drool had formed invaded her mind

Aurora had been careful not to wake him that morning, choosing instead to clean up the two empty bottles of vodka, and replace them with a box of Alka Seltzer and a bottle of water for when her father awoke.

Maleficent tried to hide her curiosity at the girls reaction, not wanting to draw attention to the tears that had sprung to the corner of her eyes at the mention of her fathers absence.

Her father.

Maleficent fought back the panic that had begun to rise. Surely it's not the same... It couldn't be? But what if it was. She looked to Diaval for any signs if recognition and wasn't exactly reassured by what she saw. She was met with a sturdy gaze, his eyes had already been fixed upon her before she sought him.

Oh shit.

Air, she desperately needed air. And to get away from the beautiful blonde who may or may not be the daughter of someone she had hoped she would never see again.

"Well listen, this was fun, but we must get going. Lots of unpacking still to do. C'mon Diaval."

She made to leave, hating the fact that in doing so the little swine thought he had won. She could see it in his arrogant smile and the way he carelessly slung his arm around Aurora's waist. _Mine_, the gesture said.

"Wait!"

Aurora untangled herself from Phillip's stifling grip, taking a few steps after the woman and grabbing her forearm gently.

Upon feeling the contact on her skin, Maleficent's head whipped around, eyes first darting to Aurora's hand on her arm and then up to the girl.

She had an almost pleading look that stirred something deep within Maleficent. An urge to protect. A willingness to keep that soft smooth touch on her arm instead of shrugging away from it.

Aurora was shocked at her own forwardness, but was unwilling to remove her hand. As always the woman's face was unreadable, she only picked up on a faint look of shock before it was concealed again, shut behind leafy green doors.

"Yes?"

Her eyebrow raised now, a slight hint of amusement reaching her eyes making Aurora want to blush again and mumble like a silly girl with a crush. Instead, she maintained her gaze slowly removing her hand finger by finger, relishing the way in which each one seemed reluctant to let go, clinging slightly to the woman's marginally more tanned skin.

"Will you come tomorrow?"

"What?!" Phillip stormed forward at Aurora's words.

"It makes sense. That way she can teach you the chords."

Aurora knew she was grasping at straws, trying to find an excuse to have her there. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to the woman yet. There was something about playing with her that had made her feel almost whole again, or at least distracted enough to not feel the constant ache in her chest.

"I know the chords," Phillip spoke through gritted teeth, his fists clenching and unclenching once again as he tried to stare down Maleficent.

"No need to get your knickers in a twist boy, I may have prior commitments."

Phillip relaxed slightly, relief evident in the way this fists. Aurora had the opposite reaction.

"You mean you won't come?"

Her bottom lip stuck out slightly and Maleficent had to stifle a chuckle at the adorable sad pout.

"We shall see Aurora. We shall see."

Her eyes twinkled devilishly as she turned back to Diaval, strutting out of the garage, tossing her jacket over one shoulder.

"Lovely to see you again Aurora, you really did sound fantastic."

"Thanks Diaval."

He bowed his head slightly to the girl, shooting her a genuine smile before flitting off after his friend.

Watching the brunette strut off down the street, her hips swaying naturally with every step, it occurred to her that she didn't even know her name, which she supposed she ought to get considering she was quite obviously staring at her pert behind.

The desire to feel her name on her lips, feel it roll off her tongue and escape from behind her teeth overcame her and she found herself moving unconsciously towards the entrance to the garage.

"Wait! I didn't even get your name!"

Maleficent didn't break her stride, only turned her head to the side, her profile visible to the girl. Her mouth was tilted upwards in a smile, eyes searching the girls face once more, struck again by her beauty.

"Maleficent. My name is Maleficent."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

**Good Afternoon/Morning/Evening depending where you're reading from!**

**Once again, not entirely certain about this chapter (I sense a recurring theme). I feel like I'm having trouble finding my Aurora voice, but I'm sure I'll find my feet in later chapters.**

**Cannot promise an update next week as University officially starts back meaning lots and lots and reading/writing/work to be doing that doesn't involve fanfiction unfortunately.**

**As always, please review etc etc etc so I can hopefully improve as I go along, always good to hear what you like/don't like about any aspect of my writing or the story in general.**

**Have a wonderful day, keep on keeping on until next time folks (:**

**Chapter Soundtrack**

**Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – Do You Wanna Touch Me**

"What the hell just happened 'Rora?" Despite Phillip's term of endearment in the form of her nickname, Aurora didn't need to listen hard to hear the malice in his

Voice.

His usually cheerful face was contorted in rage, teeth grinding beneath closed lips and eyes burning into hers with blame and betrayal. His floppy hair lay languid over one side of his head, resembling a rather hideous wig. Under other circumstances, Aurora may have laughed.

"What? What particularly offended you?"

A genuine question. She wasn't entirely sure what Phillip was most infuriated by. Despite the way she had behaved with Maleficent, remembering the feel of the woman's hot breath on her bare neck and the unfamiliar shiver of anticipation and pure lust filled urges in particular, she was certain it couldn't have been the way she had reacted that had him riled up. She knew it was far more likely the way that Maleficent herself had acted that warranted such a violent response.

This knowledge rang true for her as she was more than aware that Phillip had grown unaccustomed to her more subtle mannerisms in recent times, meaning her own not so subtle reciprocating behaviour when came to Maleficent probably went unnoticed by him.

This thought brought with it a pang of sadness, mixed with a strange kind of nostalgia. She yearned for the days where Phillip knew everything about her, and he really did know _everything _once. Knew every nuance of her face, could tell from a subtle shift in her eyebrows that she was amused by something, or surprised. But more than that, he knew the implications of this, not only what she was feeling, but also what she needed because of this.

He used to know that when her smile didn't quite reach up to her eyes, when the crinkles in the corners didn't appear and the spark that was a shade lighter than the cerulean blue wasn't apparent in the outer ring of her iris, that she needed space. Needed time to be alone, to give in to the darkness that sometimes threatened to swallow her despite the natural light that exuded out of her.

He used to know her moods before she did, could spot one of her quiet spells a mile away, sometimes even ward them off, knowing that sometimes a steaming cup of hot chocolate topped with the cute mini marshmallows and whipped cream, maybe even a sprinkling of cinnamon if she was really sad, would be enough.

Yet now, she knew in her heart that he hadn't seen any of it today. He hadn't noticed the way the spark didn't just show around her iris, it had danced, burst into life as it clashed with green. He hadn't noticed the way her mouth gaped half open in sheer excitement as she felt the strange and other worldly beautiful woman's hips press against her, warmth seeping through her clothes blazing so white hot that it almost burnt her skin cold, raising goose bumps where their bodies met.

Hadn't seen the way her eyes had pleaded with the woman to stay, to stay with her and make the full feeling stay too, the full and complete feeling that had been absent for too long.

So then what was his issue? Surely this amount of fury couldn't be a reaction simply to superior guitar playing, he wasn't that damn fickle. And Maleficent hadn't been doing anything particularly lewd anyway, Aurora knew there was no real intent behind the woman's actions, that she didn't actually expect anything from her. In fact she would've placed money on the fact that her main motive was the response that Phillip was now having.

"Inviting her back!"

Phillip's voice shattered through her ponderings.

"And why is that such an awful thing? There is no crime in inviting someone to my own house."

Phillip's nostrils flared although his anger seemed to have morphed into frustration. Clawing at his hair, he growled exasperatedly, kicking the amp as he went.

"You're not inviting her to your house, you're inviting her into our band!"

"I said no such thing! I wanted her here for you, for us! You saw how she played, with such..." She scrambled around for the right word, not wanting to bruise Phillip's ego and pit him against Maleficent more than he already was.

"Ease. And experience." She added on quickly. "I just thought she could give us a few tips and some honest feedback. It's actually quite refreshing to hear an outside perspective. Henry, Eric..." Turning to her band mates for support, she tried to smile encouragingly, hoping they'd actually speak for once instead of standing awkwardly in near silence.

"I don't need help! 'Rora," Phillip spoke more softly now, approaching her cautiously. Ahh, the infuriating patronising look returns, she thought.

"I know you're going through a hard time with all this. But you've got to believe that we're good enough. And even if we're not there quite yet, we will be."

His hand reached up to brush her cheek, gliding softly across her jawline to cup her chin.

Trying not to flinch away from his touch, Aurora carefully met his eyes, still swirling with a confusing mix of patronising and genuine care.

"Ermm, no disrespect brah, but I think we do need her."

Both Phillip and Aurora almost physically jumped. Hearing Eric's voice was a rarity, despite him being one Phillip's oldest and best friends. It wasn't that he was antisocial, more that he didn't speak unless her felt he had something worthy of saying.

"What?"

Phillip sounded amused, half snorting the word and smiling at Eric as if he had made a joke.

Eric remained stony faced.

"Phillip. You're my friend, but my god you can't solo for shit."

Aurora couldn't contain the laughter that erupted from her lips, spurting out before she had the sense to stop it. Luckily for her, she managed to disguise it as a sudden coughing fit, although the crease around her eyes remained and she had to bite her lip to stop the obvious smile that still lingered.

Eric however did notice, and returned Aurora's smile with a sly wink too. As Phillip returned his attention to Eric, Aurora allowed her grin to spread just as Eric returned to his impassive expression.

"And no one's saying Maleficent should be in the band bro," Henry's voice now travelled from behind the drums, reverberating slightly off the cymbals, giving his usually monotone voice a metallic ring, "Just that she should be here tomorrow. She can come over, teach you the chords and the main riff for the solo, you know, the root notes and what not, and then leave."

"Yeah man, no harm done. The song will sound awesome, Aurora will sound awesome, you'll sound awesome, and then Maleficent goes." Eric tacked onto the end.

A panicky heat began to rise in Aurora at this last fact. Even if Maleficent did come tomorrow, which was far from a certainty, she would have no other reason to stick around. Although Phillip was usually a fairly slow learner, taking a couple of weeks to pick up new material, she could sense from his distaste for Maleficent that he would make a conscious effort to learn it all as soon as he physically could in order to be free of her.

Phillip was currently staring at the ground, deep in thought, contemplating the situation at hand.

"And you're okay with this babe?"

He didn't move, only tilting his head slightly towards her expectantly.

bit her lip once more, scanning the room to gauge Eric and Henry's verdict. As far as she was concerned, she had to see Maleficent again. She didn't know what it was about the woman that intrigued her so much, but she knew in her very bones that the thought of never seeing her again made her ache with a longing she didn't know she could feel. It almost knocked the wind out of her, making her breathing become ragged.

Both Henry and Eric's stony expressions had returned as the boys waited expectantly for an answer.

Sighing and bringing her hands up to redo the tangled mess of blonde locks that had begun cascading down her face and neck again, Aurora gathered her thoughts, choosing her words carefully.

"I'm okay with it. I think what the boys said makes sense. Plus I know how much stress my father's been putting you under recently, always pushing you to be better. This way, you become better without him breathing down your neck whilst you do it."

So far so good, Phillip still gazed at the floor, but his body language had relaxed significantly, his shoulders no longer pulled together in tension and his jaw had stopped grinding.

"She seemed to know her shit, and we could use a few pointers, just a few things to be tightened up here and there."

Aurora began to walk towards Phillip now, her bun fixed firmly back on her head. Upon reaching him, she took one of his hands firmly in hers.

"It doesn't mean you're not good enough or can't do it, it's okay to have help sometimes."

His eyes flashed up in an instant his hand tearing from hers.

"I don't need help, and especially not from her! We'll see what your father has to say about this!"

"Phillip wait!"

He stormed off to the door at the side of the garage, un strapping his guitar as he went, throwing it furiously onto one of the cosy sofas that lined the garage.

"WAIT!"

The red hot fury in her voice surprised even herself. Her words however, had the desired effect, stopping Phillip in his tracks before he reached the door.

"You don't get to just go and see my father like this, we're a band Phillip, we all get a say."

He towered over her, his intimidating demeanour from earlier returning, only this time there was no Maleficent to save her.

"Yes, we do. And I'm going to have mine."

His voice no longer boomed, but hissed over her instead. She's preferred it when he was screaming.

And with that he slipped through the side garage door, leaving a half stunned half furious Aurora in his wake.

"We're gonna head off Rory." Eric's almost coal black eyes were sympathetic as they met hers briefly. "Don't worry about Phillip, he'll come around. And even if not, I've got a feeling that his dislike for Maleficent isn't gonna keep her away."

Aurora smiled despite herself and couldn't help but agree with his assertion of the woman based on first impressions.

"Thanks Eric. Don't worry about packing up, just leave your stuff here and take it home after practice tomorrow."

The dark haired boy nodded, his slick hair catching the low lighting making it look particularly oily.

"We'll see you tomorrow."

And with that the pair of gangly boys had gone, leaving Aurora alone to face the music as she followed Phillips path into the house.

"Holy mother of all that is good in the world, you were hot shit up there Mal!"

Diaval was still squawking away excitably as they walked back towards Diaval's new abode.

"I mean, I know I kind of have to say that being your friend and all, but seriously, if you weren't a total dyke, I'd have jumped you."

Maleficent rolled her eyes, flicking the tip of her cigarette and watching the ash fly away in the still present suburban breeze.

"I'm not a total dyke, I kissed you once. Well, rather you kissed me."

She teasingly puckered her lips as Diaval mock vomited at the memory.

"Oh please, you were begging for it!"

She relished the way the raven-haired man's cheeks burned red the more she spoke.

"Hey, you can't blame a man, all that eggnog and you know, you were singing Do You Wanna Touch Me. You know Joan is my weakness." Diaval half muttered to the floor, avoiding Maleficent's penetrative gaze.

Laughing, Maleficent relinquished her teasing. For now anyway.

"But seriously, you really came alive up there."

Alive. There was that word again, the word which had caused her much grievance with it's absence over the years.

"Alive."

"Yeah. I mean you looked like you used to, so carefree."

All this serious talk was growing tiresome. And she was growing hungry.

"Yes well, the girl made it easy to be carefree, even if only for one song."

Surprised by her honest and open answer, Diaval questioned how far to push Maleficent.

"So you like Aurora then?

Tossing the cigarette end into the nearest trash can, Maleficent's green eyes flashed Diaval a warning. Go no further.

"No more than I like anyone else."

"Oh please. I almost offered you both a femidom for the amount of eye fucking going on. I wouldn't be surprised if in 9 months time little green eyed blonde haired beauties were running around warbling to their hearts content, shredding out a 5 minute solo."

"You know that's not really how human reproduction works Diaval. I, unlike you, would be _extremely_ surprised to see little beasts running around 9 months. down the line, you know, what with the impossibility of a) conceiving through gaze alone and b) conceiving naturally with a woman due to lack of sperm."

It was Diaval's turn to roll his eyes. Sometime conversing with Maleficent really was enough to give you a migraine.

"You know what I meant. You like the girl, don't change the subject."

"I'm not changing the subject, I'm merely pointing out the errors in your human biology."

She could see her teasing was tiring her friend out, as he picked up his pace walking slightly ahead of her, his hand running freely through tousled hair.

"She's a girl Diaval, that's all. Just another young girl. A beautiful one, yes, but a young girl all the same."

Shaking his head, Diaval slowed his pace again, falling back into step beside the staggeringly tall and stunning brunette.

"Well now you're lying to my face. I'm hurt, if not unsurprised." His hand clutched at his chest resting over his heart in feigned offence.

"I saw the way you looked at her. Hell, I saw the way she looked at you!"

Maleficent too could see the way the girl had looked at her. She hadn't been able to remove the image of the girl's wide ocean blue eyes locking onto hers, her floaty dress clinging to her in all the right places revealing soft curves just over the cusp of adolescence.

Another image, hips moving against hers, rear pressing lightly but urgently into her abdomen, head tossed back and pale neck exposed with the warm and sweet scent of the girl crashing over her much like the blonde hair. Heavy lidded eyes meeting hers once more, kindling the aching burn in the pit of her stomach.

Shaking her head clear of the girl Maleficent reached Diaval's door and pulled firmly on the handle, swinging it open.

"It means nothing Diaval. It was a song, it was fun. Watching the boy squirm brought me the same amount of pleasure as the Aurora's presence. And that's all there is to it."

The name slipped off her tongue like honey. Divine.

Diaval shut the door to his new place, groaning slightly upon seeing the stack of boxes still by the door.

"Whatever, keep telling yourself and you might just believe it. You gonna help me unpack these?"

He'd already begun to heave at the nearest box, gesturing for Maleficent to do the same.

Sighing, Maleficent grabbed a box labelled 'Kitchen' and strolled in the direction of the modern fitted kitchen at the back of the house.

Rapid hopping footsteps behind her informed her of Diaval's presence.

"What about tomorrow though?"

"What about it?"

Tearing open the box, Maleficent pulled out various pieces of crockery and began placing them in a drawer that Diaval motioned to when she held up a knife questioningly.

"Are you gonna go to practice with her?"

She twirled the knife in her hand before stabbing the next box and slicing the cellotape sealing it open. Grabbing a handful of mixed cutlery, she sorted it into separate sections, adding to the ones already placed there.

"I don't know."

"You don't know? What's there to think about?" Diaval carefully pulled at the box marked 'fragile', opening cupboards and carefully placing beautifully ornate wine glasses in them.

Maleficent sighed, not sure whether to come clean about what truly troubled her, or leave Diaval in the dark like so many things about her.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Diaval, in fact he was the only person she did trust. And she hadn't missed his piercing and steady gaze as Stephan was mentioned. She was almost certain he already knew, or had sensed something deeper that concerend her.

Shutting the drawer, she turned to face him, seeing the same expression on his face as back in the garage. Eyes steady, imploring her to tell, but letting her know that it was okay not to share it with him too.

"The name Diaval. What if it's him?" Her eyes travelled back to the box, avoiding meeting her friend's eyes. She felt almost insane for saying it aloud. It had been years since she'd seen Stephan Rose, but she knew that the day she did see him would be a day too soon.

Flashes of heat, of a burning rushed over her body, the ghost of a physical pain long since manifested into her spirit, shutting down emotions and raising up barriers.

Shivering barely perceptibly, she straightened back up, searching her friend's near black eyes for his thoughts.

"Does it matter Mal?"

She saw red fog the corners of her vision, felt her hand grip the knife that remained in her hand tighter despite the fact her clammy hands made it harder to hold without slipping.

"What, you're gonna stab me now? C'mon Mal, you know what I meant. He won't be there tomorrow, Aurora didn't want him there anymore than you do. And hey, that's even if it is the same guy! I mean, Rose is a fairly common surname. Last you heard of him, he was in New York anyway, nowhere near dullsville."

Despite his seemingly calm and joking demeanour, Diaval's hands shook marginally, the wine glasses clinking together as he continued unpacking. Maleficent's rages were not to be taken lightly.

"That's not very reassuring Diaval. Just because the girl doesn't want him there, doesn't ensure he won't actually be there. I don't particularly want you to be here, and yet here you are."

The rage had gone from her blazing green eyes as quickly as it had appeared. The knife in her hand stabbed downwards at the next sealed box, revealing tablecloths emblazoned with birds.

She merely raised her eyebrow at him, saying nothing at his choice of decor.

"This is my home! Whether you want me here or not is irrelevant." He scoffed at his friend, sticking his tongue out at her disapproving expression. "And they were on sale and birds are very 'in' this season. Or at least that's what the lady in the store said."

She allowed herself a chuckle as she unfolded the hideous bird cloth and spread it across the sprawling dining table, trying to rid herself of her darker thoughts.

"Hey."

Diaval's tone was soft, coaxing her to turn around.

"If it is him, I'll beat the shit out of him with a rusty spoon, okay?"

Her smile was radiant and her laugh echoed around the near empty house.

"You? Attacking anyone? I think the Squirrel I saw outside earlier would have more luck."

He couldn't help but join in her laughter, but he couldn't help holding back slightly, seeing the strain behind her eyes as she tried to hide her feelings from him. Just as she always did.

"So will you go tomorrow? Now that you know I have my protection, there's nothing to be afraid of."

A controlled gaze, a light being switched off behind emerald eyes.

"I am not afraid."

"Then we'll go?"

Her green eyes flitted about the room, weighing up the options.

If she were to return, she got to see Aurora again, something that although she still wasn't entirely sure why, she had to do. The girl's aura had been so pure and full of light, so delectable and positively moreish. She wanted, no _needed_ the girl.

What she really needed was a cold shower, it seemed.

However, going back meant having to endure the insufferable, whiny floppy haired boyfriend. Although this also brought with it some small pleasure in the form of tormenting him, it would divert her attention away from Aurora and serve only to irritate her. Rather like a persistent fly; not entirely offensive, yet intrinsically annoying and unnecessary.

And of course there was the main reason for her hesitance; the father.

Although there was no solid evidence of this man being the same one, Maleficent didn't believe in coincidence. Nothing ever just happened, not without purpose.

The purpose of bringing Stephan and his family back into her life however, she could not see the purpose of, nor did she want to stick around to find out. What if the girl was his daughter? Although Diaval was correct in saying last they'd heard he was miles away, it had been years since she'd heard anything and even longer since she'd _wanted_ to hear anything.

_He could be anywhere_ a voice in her head whispered, causing goose bumps to return and a natural instinct to flee to kick in.

But the memory of those crystal clear blue eyes, so different from her potential father's, shining playfully up at her as soft pink lips moved with the words being sang, with the seductive sound releasing from them, was enough to make her stay. Enough to make her want to stick around.

Well, at least long enough for a band practice.

"We'll go. But if her father is there, we're out. Whether it's _him _or not. You know I don't do parents. And I want no arguments about that."

She held up her hand to silence the celebratory noise that Diaval was about to emit, glaring at him, hoping the pang of fear and apprehension she felt tearing through her innards, wasn't as apparent on her face as it was in her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

**We meet again!**

**So this update comes just a mere matter of days after some infinitely more talented writer's updated their Malora fanfiction's and just wow. The pressure is so real, as is the complete awe.**

**Still not really feeling my Aurora voice yet, but let me know what you think anyway, always open to constructive criticism.**

**Once again, apologies if the next update is late, I'm really trying to focus on work but alas, Maleficent and Aurora like to disturb me!**

**Have a wonderful day, keep on keeping on.**

**Until next time you beautiful little teapots! **

"It's not about who's better, it's all about the chemistry as a unit, and that's what we have!" Phillip brought his hand down hard on Stephan's desk to accentuate his point.

He'd been ranting for a good ten minutes now. After the first 5 Aurora had given up listening to him going on and on about the "evil" woman who had interfered. How he could deem anyone evil after spending so little time with them she wasn't sure, but once again decided to allow him to voice his opinion without argument.

After traipsing back into the house, Aurora had found Phillip already mid discussion with her father, although discussion was most definitely the wrong word. Rather she'd found him talking _at _her father, pacing angrily and gesticulating wildly as he did so.

As much as Aurora disliked her father's behaviour at times, she had to admit he was putting up with Phillip rather admirably. He had been sat behind his desk, enveloped in a large backed leather chair for the entirety of the "discussion", watching the display with faint amusement on his face.

He barely moved, swaying occasionally on the chair to lean forwards and bring his glass of whiskey to his lips, glugging it down like the seasoned pro that he was.

Aurora watched her father with more care than usual, focussing closely on the way his eyes responded to Phillip's words, hoping to catch which side of the argument he was on.

So far she'd seen no signs of him leaning towards either side, merely a boredom and a disinterest in Phillip's words.

"...and she had the audacity to criticise Aurora!"

Upon hearing her name, Aurora looked upon Phillip who had stopped pacing to point at her.

Her father flicked his eyes towards her for a second, before returning them to the now empty whiskey tumbler sat atop his desk.

"Hmm. Criticised Aurora you say? She sounds the most frightful fuck."

Her father chuckled to himself, clearly finding the entire situation laughable, which Aurora could only concede too.

She could see the tell tale sign of Phillip's anger rising again by the way his jaw moved up and down, up and down as he clenched and unclenched his teeth. Clearly he was tiring of her father's unhelpfulness.

Exasperated, he turned away from the desk, his eyes pleading with hers as he threw his hands up in the air.

"'Rora?"

It was times like these that she couldn't help but feel the weak and dusty stirrings of love for him. The chocolate brown eyes that she'd looked into for so many years looking upon her, begging for her help.

But that was all she felt. Dusty, disused echoes, shadows to which the physical form had long since fled, leaving behind the dregs of feelings, whispering over her hollow heart.

Nonetheless, this was her friend, the only true one she'd ever had, the only person who'd seen the depths of her behind her cheerful disposition and doe eyes charm, seen the darkness that had inhabited her and still loved her for it. And this is why she decided to come to his aid, but not quite in the way he'd expected it hoped for.

Breaking his gaze and meeting her father's eyes instead, Aurora rose from the chair she'd been lounging in in the far corner of the spacious office away from the action, playing idly with some framed vinyl's her father had on his wall.

"She was great Dad."

Both men's reactions were violent, not surprising of Phillip, but uncharacteristic of her usually passive father.

"How can you say that?! She's poison, you can tell just b-"

"Enough, boy."

Her fathers commanding voice was enough to effectively silence Phillip, his latest outburst earning him a glare.

His head sunk under the force the expression. Her father really could be scary if he wanted to be, it was easy to forget considering his expression nowadays tended to range only from glazed over or apathetic, to rather goofy and almost boyish when he was at a certain level of intoxication.

Stephan sat forward now, bringing his hands together, fingertips splaying against each other toying with the ends as he rested his elbows on the desk.

"Interesting. That's quite the opposite to Phillip's character assessment of this woman."

Snorting, Aurora's eyebrow flew up without her permission as she retorted before considering her words.

"Well c'mon, evil incarnate? All she did was tell him how to play the chords right."

Realising how harsh her words sounded, she shot an apologetic look at Phillip. He looked straight back at her with hurt clear in his eyes, but also an unreadable trace of something else. A lack of recognition. Almost like he was looking upon a stranger.

Pushing this thought to the back of her mind, Aurora returned to her father, who was chuckling under his breath, his shoulders only just visibly shaking at his daughter's words.

"What I mean, is that she seemed helpful, and harmless." She added as an afterthought. Getting her father on side with this should be easy enough. She knew that her father responded best to the facts and that putting a focus on the good of the band would further encourage him. Shouting, on the other hand, would drive him further against the idea and also serve only to irritate the no doubt banging headache he was currently nursing.

As if to prove her point, her father slid open one of his desk drawers pulling out some pills. He popped them in his mouth carefully, swallowing them dry as he massaged his temples.

"Go on."

"Okay, so maybe she was a tad... Blunt?" Aurora tried to choose her words more carefully this time. Her intention wasn't to hurt Phillip's feelings and if she could avoid doing so by being less blunt herself, then she would.

"But I stand by what I said. She seemed to know what she was doing; she had an incredible ear for the chords. She picked them up almost immediately and knew straight away what was up with the way Phillip was playing. I mean, she knew a better alternative." Phillip's moody gaze told her she still wasn't being careful enough.

"All I'm saying is that we invite her to play again. Just as a trial until Phillip learns the new way."

"There's nothing wrong with the old way!" Phillip threw his hands up incredulously, still unsure as to why Stephan would even consider this.

"You're always going on about how important it is to be a united front Stephan," Phillip moved back to stand in front of the large oak desk, placing his palms flat on it to lean towards Stephan, "but how can we possibly be united if we let some complete stranger into the ranks, even if it's only for a while?"

Stephan glared at Phillip's hands on the desk. He didn't want his grimy hands ruining the freshly polished surface.

Sensing his growing annoyance, Phillip removed his hands and took a step back from the desk, blushing slightly at his forward behaviour. Stephan Rose was not a man to piss off.

"I'm sorry to yell, it's just so damn frustrating."

"I understand boy, being told you have no talent is rather upsetting."

Phillip flushed further, her father's words clearly crushing him. At least she knew where she got her minuscule mean streak.

"I hear your concerns and I will think them over, no decision has to be made immediately. I won't be available tomorrow anyhow, so it makes little difference to me."

Aurora could tell the drink was starting to take effect on her father. His apathy towards the band spoke volumes, his usual raw and angry passion for them dulled by a Mr Jack Daniels.

"You're out again tomorrow?"

"Yes, I've arranged a meeting with an executive from a record company in L.A. Only a casual drink with an old friend, but a connection that I thought was worth chasing up."

Aurora was surprised by this to say the least. Although her father was generally a man of few words, or sober and serene ones anyway, when it came to the band he was extremely raucous.

"You didn't tell me that?"

He swirled the whiskey around the glass, watching the brownish hue of the liquid wash up against the sides before returning to the base.

"I'm telling you now. It's nothing serious, it doesn't look all that promising either, but it's worth a try. Best case scenario he manages to convince the head honcho to come to the showcase as a back up label."

"Oh."

Her response was short and unenthused regrding the news of the deal, but realising this signalled and absence of her father's absence from practice Aurora couldn't be more delighted.

Stephan chased back another whiskey, popping an extra few pills in his mouth for good measure. As the freshly emptied glass thudded against the desk, he flapped his hands in a 'shoo-ing' motion, signalling for the office to empty.

"I've heard enough. Thank you Phillip. Practice is starts at 6:30 tomorrow."

Phillip and Aurora exchanged confused glances.

"6:30? It's usually 6:00...?"

"And I'm usually quite tolerant of you, but things change boy."

Phillip gulped, diverting his eyes away from Stephan, choosing instead to fix them on the gaudy painting of a scantily clad woman behind the desk.

Aurora once again tried not to laugh at her father's words. The only occasional positive to her father's alcoholism was his rude, yet apt, remarks.

"6:30pm. Not a moment sooner. You may leave."

With her father's words, Aurora rose from her seat too, assuming the flapping gesture had been for her too. Her father did almost anything to avoid spending time alone with her, so assuming his farewell was for the both of them was not unreasonable.

"Not you Aurora, I'd like a word with you alone."

Phillip looked upon the pair with suspicion, but unwilling to stay any longer for fear of angering Stephan more, opened the office door.

"I'll see you tomorrow 'Rora?"

"Yeah, I'll text you later."

The door clicked shut behind him, the sound announcing the awkward feeling that had instilled itself in the air upon his departure.

Any positives about her father she may have been able to conjure up seconds ago dissipated as soon as Phillip left the room, and she found herself wishing that she could've left with Phillip despite herself. He really was the lesser of two evils.

"Yes father?"

It was Aurora who broke the silence of course, knowing that Stephan struggled to communicate with her at the best of times.

"I want you to bring this woman back over tomorrow."

Dumbstruck, Aurora merely stared open mouthed at her father.

"The boy has potential. He's not completely hopeless I'll admit, but he's far from ready. If this woman is really as good as you say she is... Then he needs her."

Aurora closed her mouth, trying to regain enough composure to form words in response.

"Don't tell the boy. I don't want him to know. I figured she could come just before, warm up with you so you can at least have a chance to play again. When Phillip arrives try talking him around. Tell him I ordered her to be there, just make him learn from her."

"You're sure you're okay with this?"

Her gut was telling her to shut up. The last thing she wanted was a change of heart from her father, but this wasn't the way to do it, lying to Phillip seemed wrong. He is a part of the band after all, she thought, and his passion and optimism was to be admired. It was always a driving force for the band, between the pressures often piled on by her father and the seeming apathy from Eric and Henry, most of the time the only thing that motivated Aurora to continue pursuing the elusive record deal was Phillip's unswerving dedication and loyalty to the band.

Stephan's eyes pierced hers, calculating, willing her to go on.

"Phillip was right to bring up your own words. You do always say it's better that we stick together and gel, without outside influences. I know that's why you've always been reluctant to hire any instructors or coaches before."

"True. But this seems like good timing. You speak highly of the woman and I'll be very busy in the coming few weeks, often being unable to attend practice. Therefore this seems to be the most attractive alternative."

He leaned back in his chair, the leather groaning against the material of his tailored trousers as he did so.

"She won't interfere I trust?"

"No, no of course not! She may not even show up." Aurora's heart sank slightly at this all too possible outcome. The brown haired beauty had left in such a hurry that Aurora didn't have time to formally extend an invitation back. She doubted the woman would return, especially after Phillip's display.

"Well that won't do. You say her friend has moved into the house across the street?"

Her father's hand swung up lazily, pointing in the general direction of Diaval's new house.

"Yes."

"Then you're to go over there now and convince her to come."

"Now?!"

Stephan heaved himself up from the chair, grasping the desk edge to stop himself from stumbling too much.

"Now. I would go myself, but I have to pick up Sam from the airport. His flight lands in an hour and I said we'd go grab some drinks and stay with some old friends."

"Should you really be driving like... this?"

Her father's eyes seemed to widen in shock at the care that seeped into Aurora's voice, which had immediately taken on a far softer tone than usual when addressing her father.

His expression pained her. Her relationship with her father had been strained over the last few years, but to see how taken aback he was at the care she still held for him was hurtful.

To her complete surprise, he began walking slowly towards her, staggering and swaying slightly as he walked.

He pulled her into a tight hug, allowing the unfamiliar comfort of arms around him to soak into his skin.

Aurora returned the hug with fierceness, trying to hold the pieces of her father in place. Marring the moment somewhat was the stench of whiskey, slightly malty but heady in scent, that furled from her father's skin. But underneath that, she could still faintly make out the musky smell that coiled up her nostrils, flooding into her memories.

Flashes of her father pushing her on the swings, the air whooshing past her ears as she squealed for him to make her go higher. Her father picking her up and cradling her tiny body to his chest, tending to her grazed knee and her father hugging her just like this, attacked her mind.

As if he'd received an electric shock from their contact, her father released her just as suddenly as he'd pulled her in.

He had seen it all too.

His eyes brimmed with tears unshed and words unsaid before he looked away.

"I'll get a cab."

And with that he was gone, taking the tender memories she had watched play before her.

Wiping her own eyes, which she found were also wet with tears, she followed him out of the office and down the sweeping staircase that framed either side of the entrance of their sizeable house.

"If I'm not back in a couple of days assume I've flown back out to L.A. with Sam to meet with some more exec's. Your aunts will be over to check in on you. There's some cash on the side. See you."

His voice carried up the stairs, echoing off the laminate flooring as Aurora began descending.

S

he heard the front door swing open on its hinges and paused waiting for the inevitable slam as it sprung shut again.

When it didn't come, she ventured further down the staircase, rounding the last corner until her father was in sight again.

"Oh and Aurora," meeting her eyes, expression having returned to one of neutrality he spoke firmly.

"You will invite her back. Now."

The slam came just as she opened her mouth to say goodbye, the sound of wood impacting the frame drowning out any farewells that might have escaped.

Her father's presence never particularly brought her much joy, but now he was gone she couldn't help but feel lonely in the house. At least her aunts may keep her company she thought, as she wandered into the modern kitchen, spying a wad of cash on the sleek black island in the centre of the room. She also registered the various take out menus that he had clearly thrown down as an afterthought.

After pocketing a few of the bills, Aurora began wondering what to do next.

Disobeying her father's orders wouldn't be a good idea. His total acceptance of her idea to invite Maleficent back over had completely blind-sided her and now she wasn't sure how to proceed.

Seeing the mysterious woman who had somehow managed to light a fire in the pit of her stomach purely by a look was what she had wanted, right?

But now the reality was upon her, she couldn't help but doubt herself. Just thinking about the intensity and challenging nature of those blazing green eyes had her stomach in knots, fluttering sensations rolling through it.

Like butterflies.

"Get a grip."

She chastised herself.

"Acting like a dumb kid with a crush."

She needed to just get it over with. Go and see Maleficent now before she chickened out. The likelihood of the woman even agreeing was slim, she reminded herself. No need to get worked up over nothing.

Aurora walked to the sink, grabbing a clean glass off the draining rack as she went. Turning the tap, she poured a glass of water, before a bottle of something stronger caught her eye.

Looking around to make sure she truly was alone, despite the fact she knew she was, she reached for the half empty bottle of vodka.

Gazing at the clear liquid inside, she tried to calm the fluttering in her stomach and empty her mind.

"Fuck it."

Unscrewing the cap, she took a large swig, feeling the alcohol burn the back of her throat and sting her nostrils like tiny pin pricks.

She gagged at the taste, but forced herself to swallow it all the way down until it hit the lining of her stomach, resting warmly there.

Immediately feeling the confidence she had hoped to gain from the alcohol hit her, her resolve firmed as she strode back towards the foyer.

Grabbing the nearest pair of shoes, a faded and old pair of converse, she hastily thrust them on her feet and swiped the spare set of keys from a clear glass bowl atop a marble table.

Stepping onto the street, she willed her feet forwards and away from her house, immediately feeling more relaxed amongst the gentle thrum of suburban life that swirled in the outdoor air.

The sun was still blazing in the sky, although the temperature had started dropping as the sun did, the shadows lengthening as it slid slowly down the west side.

She could hear the neighbour's children playing basketball, the sounds of delighted screams mixing amongst the repetitive springing of the taut rubber on concrete.

Sprinklers still hissed and spat, and cars could still be heard in the distance rumbling along the freeway unaware of the change that Aurora had experienced only hours before.

And all because of the striking woman who played one damn song.

Aurora tried to focus on the noises alone, isolating each one to keep her mind fixated away from Maleficent. Thinking about her with her piercing green eyes, luscious ruby red lips that glistened ever so slightly in the afternoon sun, pronounced cheekbones that forged their way along her seemingly flawless skin that appeared impossibly smooth but somehow cold, like fine bone china and her slender and willowy form that moved with a confidence that Aurora wished to posses was not helping Aurora's already shaky nerves.

_What the hell is wrong with you? This woman, although beautiful, was a complete stranger. You don't know anything about her and she's probably forgotten about you already._

Although these thoughts were almost painful to comprehend, Aurora couldn't help but wonder at the truth in them. Why on Earth was she getting so worked up over someone she barely knew? And besides, she had a boyfriend.

The last thought in particular brought on a fresh round of guilt. Having these feelings wasn't directly doing anything wrong, right?

But if they weren't wrong, then why she felt bad for allowing the memory of the way Maleficent's breath had felt against her neck, blazing a trail of goose bumps as the words she sang rolled off her perfectly full lips and caressed her skin, to stick with her.

Not to mention the feel of bony hips pressing gently into her back, moving gently in time with her own body.

_Stop._

Aurora could feel herself blushing, glancing around the street as if people could see the vivid images going through her head.

The worst part was, in five minutes with the woman, she'd felt more excitement than she _ever_ had with Phillip, even at the beginning of their relationship when it had been new and exciting.

It was with these conflicting thoughts driving themselves around her brain, that Aurora reached Diaval's neatly trimmed lawn.

She supposed the neatly cut grass was due to the previous tenant, as she knew the man had only moved in earlier that same day.

She paused before stepping onto the green blades. Biting her lip, she cast a look back towards her own house, that somehow felt separate to her now, like all ties she'd had to it had been displaced into this one before her.

She could sense a vital decision before her. She wasn't sure as to what the consequences of her decision would be, but she knew the next step she took, be it towards the house before her or back to her family home, would determine a major part of her life.

"You're so dramatic."

She couldn't help but laugh at her own thoughts, as she allowed a hand up to her hair to release it from its floppy bun.

Shaking her hair loose, trying not to register that the reason behind her doing so was because she had often been told she looked more attractive with her hair down, she stepped onto Diaval's lawn, taking the short distance up to the porch quickly.

Taking one final moment to prepare herself, tousling her sleek blonde hair once more, she inhaled deeply and allowed the sounds of the neighbourhood she was raised in to pull her down into a place of calm once more.

Feeling the heat blazing onto her back, she opened her eyes, smiling to herself and rapped on the door briskly, ignoring the frantic beating of her heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**

**So this chapter was supposed to be fairly short, but I had a lot of fun writing it and these two kind of got away from me!**

**The Malora is coming though, never fear, next chapter will be almost exclusively the babes.**

**As always, review etc etc, they really do make my day, even if they're not all positive, criticism is also welcomed gladly.**

**Enjoy, and have a wonderful day (:**

**Chapter Soundtrack**

**Dashboard Confessional - El Scorcho**

**Madonna - Secret**

_"I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me!"_ Diaval barely heard the sharp rap on the door over the sizzling of the wok on the scorching hot hob and the music that was blaring out of the speakers as he sang along carelessly.

"Coming!"

He tossed the vegetables and noodles clumsily, some of them glooping onto the counter as his hand eye coordination failed him. He never was good at sports.

"Shit," he murmured, scanning his new kitchen for some paper towels.

Another knock on the door, more insistent this time.

"I said I'm coming!" He flapped around the island, scooping up the stray noodles with his hand and throwing them hastily into the bin.

"Ewww, noodle gunk."

Wiping his hands on a tea towel as he went, Diaval hastily walked to the door, quite irritated by the intrusion.

He was looking forward to spending his first night in the house just lounging around with Maleficent, eating stir fry and watching crap TV, judging all the terrible singers on some shitty talent show. He'd tried his best to convince Maleficent to let him order take out, but in her own words "Why would I pay for some greasy, congealed gunk when you can just make us some for free?". She's then announced that she was taking a shower and had waltzed up the stairs to the guest bedroom, which he already knew in reality was Maleficent's.

A visitor was the last thing he wanted right now, he'd been _this _close to making her spill about her undeniable attraction to Aurora, and there was no way she'd let him approach the subject again if there was a guest involved.

Draping the tea towel over his shoulder, he opened the door more roughly than entirely necessary, the force almost causing it to slam all the way open.

His expression of annoyance changed almost immediately as he saw the very girl he's just been thinking about standing before him.

Aurora's honey blonde hair was flowing down her back, looking unkempt but somehow styled too. Her hand had been raised to knock again, and her mouth opened in an "o" shape as the door had swung unexpectedly open.

Rocking back on her heels slightly, Aurora couldn't help but blush at being caught off guard, tucking some loose tresses of hair behind her ear nervously.

"Aurora!" Diaval's grin broadened as he contemplated what a marvellous turn of events this was. Maleficent was going to be so flustered. Magnificent.

"What a pleasant surprise! Come in!"

Aurora shuffled on the porch, looking extremely awkward.

"You sure? I'm not intruding or anything am I?"

She stepped into the house carefully, looking curiously at her surroundings, trying to take in every detail all at once.

The first thing she noticed about the house was the positively homely feel it had about it already, regardless of the stray boxes that still littered the hallway.

The layout itself was rather similar to her own house, although on a smaller scale, with much more care having been taken into injecting the place with character.

A beautiful pine wood and glass staircase ran up the right side, the left opening out into a wide corridor that she assumed led to the kitchen. There were house plants dangling everywhere, most of which Aurora didn't recognise, with beautiful flowers blooming in a variety of colours.

On the far left there was a large canvas displaying some abstract art that looked suspiciously like...

"A raven?"

"Huh?"

Diaval looked blankly at the girl, before following Aurora's pointed finger.

"Oh right!", he slapped his forehead playfully at his stupidity, "yeah, a friend of mine painted it actually. I love birds, Raven's specifically."

Diaval rolled up the sleeve of his t-shirt, revealing an intricately drawn raven tattooed into his bicep, the ink faded slightly with age.

"Matches my tattoo!" He grinned proudly, running his fingertips along the outlines of the feathers proudly.

Aurora continued to inspect the painting and Diaval's tattoo, smiling serenely to herself.

"It's beautiful. Pretty birdy."

Diaval met Aurora's ocean blue eyes and smiles back with his own deep brown ones.

"I think so too. Maleficent hates it, she says it looks more like a dog. She has no eye for art."

He motioned for Aurora to follow him further into the house, walking purposefully back into the kitchen.

Taking one last look at the painting and chuckling as she imagined Maleficent and Diaval bickering over the species of animal in the painting, she allowed herself to be led towards the domestic sounds and smells coming from the end of the corridor.

"Mmmm, something smells delicious!"

"Why thank you," Diaval nodded his head, tossing the mixture once again, making sure no strays stuck to the pan, or escaped it. "It's nothing special, just a stir fry, but it's Maleficent's favourite."

He sneaked a glance towards Aurora, hoping to gauge some reaction to the mention of his friend. Disappointingly, she merely nodded and smiled, continuing her assessment of his house.

"More birds?" Aurora smirked as she noticed a rather kitschy vintage looking bird print table cloth covering the dining table.

"Birds are in okay?!" Diaval retorted. What was it with these women and their bloody interior decorating judgement?

Aurora laughed heartily, the sound resonating around the kitchen, filling it with more warmth and life.

Diaval couldn't help but join in, the sound becoming infectious.

"So what brings you here anyway Dorothy Draper?" He teased affectionately, nudging the girls side with his elbow, making her squirm.

"Actually, I'm here to speak to Maleficent."

"Oh _are _you now?" His smirk returned, the stir fry momentarily forgotten.

Aurora blushed under his look, avoiding his eyes, choosing instead to stare into the stir fry.

"It'll stick to the pan."

"Ahh not just an interior designer but a chef m too? A girl of many talents." He guffawed at his own joke, to which Aurora simply rolled her eyes and took a seat opposite him on one of the stools surrounding the island.

"Shut up! Well, my dad sent me over."

"Oh?"

Diaval returned to a more serious demeanour at the mention of the girl's father. Was there a way to ask the girl about him subtly without sounding suspicious or nosy? Subtlety wasn't exactly his forte.

"Yeah, I told him about practice today and well, he said he wanted to make sure Maleficent was there tomorrow."

"And will your father be there tomorrow?"

He tried to sound nonchalant, but instead it came out sounding more like an alien trying to feign human emotion. Mental facepalm.

Aurora studied the man, seeing a strange array of emotions flit across his face as he stared far too intently on the stir fry that still sizzled away between them.

"No actually, he's gone to L.A. for a while. Or at least I think he has..." She trailed of almost dreamily, toying with the utensils Diaval had laying on the side.

"You think?" Diaval raised his eyebrows. What kind of father didn't tell his teenage daughter where he was going?

"He was kind of vague and left in a hurry. It's fine, my aunts will probably come over at some point. And then there's always Phillip."

The boys name had Diaval sneakily watching Aurora again. She looked positively gloomy as the name escaped her lips. This was fantastic.

"Well hey, I'm right over here if you get bored!"

Watching her face light back up truly was wonderful. It amazed him just how much one girl's smile could raise an entire atmosphere.

"Really?!" She nearly squealed.

Diaval turned the hob off, chuckling at the girl's enthusiasm.

"Of course! It's be no trouble at all, Maleficent practically lives here too so what's one more person?"

He spooned large quantities of the noodles onto two separate plates.

"D'you want some?"

"Ermm..."

He reached behind him to a cupboard to the right of the large kitchen window and pulled out a small bowl, spooning some food into it before Aurora could protest.

"Here. You may as well, Maleficent won't eat it all anyway and it'll only be cold by the time she finishes in the shower."

"She's in the shower?"

Aurora couldn't help the pictures that flooded into her mind, water dripping down slender arms and over her curves, mahogany hair thrown back with her head as the warm water trickled between her parted lips.

Growing furiously red, Aurora began devouring the noodles, hoping that Diaval hadn't noticed.

Luckily he hadn't, having turned to the sink, running the wok under the faucet.

"Yeah, she shouldn't be too much longer, you can eat with me and ask her about practice when she gets down."

Diaval joined Aurora at the island, pulling up a stool opposite her.

They ate in companionable silence for a while, Aurora making yum noises occasionally and Diaval slurping each noodle loudly.

"Enjoying the food I assume?"

"Mmmm, it delicious! Thank you Diaval!"

Grinning at the girl rather smugly, Diaval missed his mouth, noodles spilling onto the table unceremoniously.

Aurora tried to contain her laughter to no avail, handing the man some kitchen roll from the counter.

"This is why Mal hates eating out with me, says I eat like a hound." he mumbled from around a mouthful of veg.

"She's not wrong there." Aurora teased lightly, glad that the subject had naturally returned to the beautiful brunette.

"So how do you two know each other anyway?"

"Hmm? Oh me and Mal? We've been friends for years, I think she was... Wow, must've been about your age when we met! We both worked as roadies for a while, occasionally doing some studio sessions back in the day."

"Oh!" She wasn't sure what it was that surprised her particularly about this piece of information, but it certainly wasn't what she had been expecting.

"So you guys were roadies?"

The surprise on her face must've been evident, as Diaval smirked, spraying noodles everywhere.

"I know right? You wouldn't think it. We were both broke and young, had a passion for music and well, jobs were scarce. I mean we had our fair share of soul crushing jobs before," He raised his hand and counted them on his fingers as he reeled some of them off.

"Ermm store clerk, shelf stacker, club promoter, anything to earn some cash."

"Couldn't you just... Ask your parents for money like normal teenagers?" Aurora smirked daintily taking another mouthful of the juicy noodles.

"Well my parents sucked and well... Mal's died when she was young."

"Oh my god." Aurora felt terrible, any humour from her joke drained by this revelation.

"It's fine, it was a long time ago," Diaval assured, patting Aurora's hand sympathetically, "and hey, she's tough as nails and always had been"

"Yes but how did she survive? Who looked after her?"

Diaval twirled his fork around the edges of the bowl, trying to spear any remnants.

"She looked after herself. Slept rough for quite a few years, learnt to fend for herself pretty much until she met Balthazar. He took her in, gave her some bar work for a while and got her focussed on her music. She's always had a natural talent, but Balthazar... He really brought out the best in her. Almost did as much good for her as I did." He added the last bit on in jest, but Aurora couldn't help but feel like it was true. Even from afar it was obvious that Maleficent really did trust Diaval and was fond of him.

"Wow. That's quite a life." Aurora mused over Diaval's words, trying to fit them into her image of the woman.

She tried to imagine Maleficent as a young woman, wandering the streets trying to find somewhere to sleep. Her mind couldn't conjure it up, a helpless Maleficent seemed wrong, impossible even. The woman exuded a strength and power that she couldn't quite describe. An aura that demanded respect. To imagine the woman in any other way, as needy or reliant upon anyone in anyway seemed absurd, despite the fact she barely knew her.

The death of her parents however, and a lack of parental figure for much of her life did make sense to Aurora. It fit with the distance that she had immediately put between them as soon as they had stopped playing, as well as her blunt demeanour when it came to Phillip. Her social skills had left much to be desired, mixed signals had been spiralling all over the place from her.

One minute the woman had been over familiar with her, dancing and singing with her as if they were close friends, maybe more even, the next she was fleeing as if satan himself was chasing her.

"Yeah, nothing Mal ever does is particularly...conventional. I guess her upbringing is just a part of that." Diaval shrugged nonchalantly.

His friend's life didn't seem that odd to him. He'd grown up with her, knowing almost everything about the woman, and had accepted the fact that he would never _completely_ know her. A large part of being friends with Maleficent was knowing that she had reasons for how she was, even though you probably would never know what those reasons were. And he was okay with that.

Suddenly realising that his words may have had a negative effect on Aurora, he was quick to highlight Maleficent's good points.

"It's not a big deal though! Not much anyway... She's a great person to be around... Most of the time at least... She's..." Wow, talking her up was a lot harder than expected.

"She's got troubles. Who doesn't? She's hard to figure out and has all kinds of trust issues... Boy, if she knew I'd told you half of what I have!" He twirled his hands in the air, conjuring an invisible noose and tying it around his neck, pulling tightly.

Aurora laughed at his show, placing her fork down next to her now empty bowl.

"But she's got a good heart. She's capable of so much love and care, even if she'd never admit it to herself. Not to mention she can rock a guitar like no one I've ever seen!"

"And she's beautiful," Aurora added, without thinking.

"Yes, there's that too." Diaval couldn't help the sly grin that pulled up half of his face, relishing the heat that was clearly spreading up the girl's neck at her comment.

"So being a roadie!" Aurora was keen to change the subject, fair too aware of the red that still stained her cheeks.

"That must've been fun?"

"Pfff, that's one word for it! Seeing someone else live out your dream? Kind of depressing." Diaval placed Aurora's empty bowl on top of his players, gathering up the dirty dishes and placing them in the sink.

"It had its perks sure. Feeling like you were a part of something you know? Like what you were doing meant something, even if it was just making sure the guitars were in tune or that there were no technical difficulties with the amps."

He filled the sink up with soapy water, lathering a sponge onto the crockery and scrubbing at a stubborn stain.

"And hey, the free gigs were awesome, especially if the band was good. Of course, that wasn't always the case, we've had to listen to some particularly moany, angsty, emo teen bullshit in our time."

Diaval stopped scrubbing, pulling his raven hair over his eyes in a mock floppy fringe, air guitaring with a miserable look on his face.

"Oohhh feelings, oohhh emotion, so much pain and heartbreak, so many teen problems."

Aurora snorted loudly at his impression, her laughter echoing through the house.

She copied his hair, pulling a large chunk of her blonde tresses over her forehead.

"I loved someone, they broke my heart, that week long relationship was so deep and meaningful and now I'm sad. So very very sad."

Diaval lost it completely, cackling and wiping tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes at the ridiculous show.

"I felt rather like douche fringe then actually."

"Douche fringe?" Aurora giggled.

"I've forgotten his name, Mr Pants two sizes too small?"

"His name is Phillip!" Aurora scolded, laughing despite herself.

"Whatever. Nice impression Miss Rose! It's almost as if you've been a roadie too!

"Not quite a roadie, but I certainly have seen a lot of crap bands. That's what growing up with a father in the music industry will do to you."

There it was again, her father creeping into conversation.

Subtle Diaval, be subtle.

"In the industry? Awesome! Involved in what specifically?"

"Oh everything at one time or another," Aurora swept a hand through her hair, hoping her emo impersonation hadn't messed up her hair too much. Why should she care how her hair looked? She thought. She knew full well why, but tried to dispel thoughts of the showering woman again.

"He started off in a band, did pretty well for a while, they got pretty big in Europe."

"So what made him give it up?"

"He met my mother." Swallowing suddenly became difficult, the lump that had formed constricting her throat, the sting creeping it's way down to that hollow section in her chest.

"And then the rest is history. She got pregnant and had me. He quit the band and worked for a record label part time, wanting to spend time as a family. Eventually he quit altogether, choosing to help me with school and my music instead."

Diaval noticed the wistful tone in Aurora's voice. Now was not the time to push her.

"And now he's our manager. Still has some contacts in places, hence why he's gone to L.A. He's put his heart and soul into the band."

Aurora rested her head on her hands, gazing past Diaval and out of the window behind him.

"And your mother?"

He asked softly. He was sure he already knew the answer.

Nails bit into the flesh of her other hand. Cerulean blue eyes tore themselves away from the window to meet with Diaval's dark brown ones.

There was no pity in his eyes. There was an understanding. She felt like she could talk to him as an equal, like he knew what she felt. In his eyes she saw the pain she felt reflected back, somehow duller, but present nonetheless. To see something other than pity, to see an understanding made her want to cry even more.

Her nails dug in harder.

"She died. A few years ago now."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

She said, even though it wasn't.

An awkwardness came over the pair for the first time since Aurora's arrival as Diaval tried to think of a way to respond.

Instinctively, he walked around the counter and hugged Aurora close to him, resting his head upon hers.

"Sometimes in life, stuff happens and we're not sure why. But you know, I think that everyone gets their fair share of shit to deal with, and the good always outweighs the bad. There's always a reason for these things. It doesn't make it any easier, but there is a reason."

Aurora nodded into the man's t-shirt, enjoying the airy scent.

"And it gets easier, I promise you. You never forget, and that's okay, the pain will always be there in some way, but you'll learn to make it a part of you. You'll learn to deal with it, and transform it into something better."

Aurora laughed slightly, allowing herself to feel comforted by his words.

"Look at you! Diaval the philosopher!"

Diaval pulled out of the embrace, mussing up her halo of honey waves for good measure.

"That's the last time I try and make you feel better!"

"I'm kidding," she smiled wholeheartedly at him now, her genuine thankfulness showing on her face. "Thank you Diaval."

"You're most welcome my dear. Anytime you need an inspirational quote or two, you know where to find me."

Diaval returned to scrubbing the dishes and Aurora to gazing out of the window.

It was amazing how comfortable she felt sitting in a near stranger's kitchen, just taking. She hadn't felt this relaxed around anyone for far too long. It was almost unnerving how she felt more at home here than she did at her own home, she mused,

Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, feeling the sun streaming trough the window hit her eyes, warming them as the yellow rays seeped through playing behind her eyelids.

The radio began playing a song she recognised, and she smiled contentedly, listening to the acoustic guitar strum the familiar notes softly.

"_Something's coming over, Mmmmm, something's coming over, Mmmmm, something's coming over meeee, my baby's got a secret."_

Aurora couldn't help but sing along softly to the song that blared out of the radio, unaware that Diaval had finished washing the dishes and had turned to watch her, until he joined in himself, contributing the "Mmm"'s whilst she continued to sing.

"My god I haven't heard this song in years!" Diaval shot up from his chair, rushing to the stereo.

"I'm starting it again, and we're gonna harmonise to fuck, okay?"

Giggling at his sudden animation, Aurora nodded and grabbed a ladle that dangled down on some hooks above the kitchen island.

"I didn't have you pegged as a Madonna fan."

Diaval toggled with the buttons on the radio, trying to find the rewind button.

"Aurora. Sweet, sweet Aurora. _Everyone _isa Madonna fan, at least on some level. And never let anyone tell you otherwise, they're lying."

"More sage like wisdom."

"I know, I should really start charging for this!"

Having finally restarted the song, Diaval clapped his hands excitedly and rushed out of the kitchen, whooping as he went.

When he came back in moments later, he was armed with a slightly battered but well loved looking Yamaha acoustic guitar.

"Right." He murmured, twiddling the tuning pegs softly, mimicking the notes as he strummed each one in turn.

"Are you ready miss rose?"

Straightening her expression, Aurora nodded seriously.

"Diaval, I can honestly say that I was born ready." she replied, holding the ladle up in demonstration as a makeshift mic.

Diaval's serious face wavered marginally at the sight of the blonde angelic girl brandishing a ladle around.

"Then let's do this."

Dramatically pressing the play button, he quickly moved his hands to the position of the first chord.

"_Things haven't been the same, since you came into my li-ife,_"

Aurora's voice dripped easily over the notes, breathily enunciating each word as Diaval strummed the guitar playfully.

"_You found a way to touch my soul and I'm never ever ever gonna let it go..._"

As the chorus kicked in, Aurora bounded around the kitchen, clambering onto one of the stools, never missing a beat.

Diaval chuckled at the girl, propping himself up onto the kitchen island and bobbing along in time with the baseline pumping over the radio.

Between the sound of the guitar, Aurora's singing and the thump of the speakers, neither one of them noticed the padding of footsteps descending the stairs, faltering for a second at the bottom as the strange sounds reached Maleficent's ears.

Rounding the corner, her eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock, before grinning openly at the sight before her.

"_Something's coming over, Mmmmm, something's coming over, Mmmmm, something's coming over meeee, my baby's got a secret."_

Aurora was standing atop Diaval's new kitchen counter, swinging her head from side to side, passionately singing the lyrics as she twirled around, belting them out into what looked like... Is that a ladle?

Diaval was laying back on the surface of the kitchen island bouncing his hips up and down to the beat as his fingers imprecisely but effortlessly moved along the strings.

"What on earth is going on?"

Two sets of eyes, one as bright blue as the cloudless sky that blazed through the window behind Aurora and the other almost as black as Diaval's jeans shot towards her.

Their faces were priceless, both looking like two naughty children who had been caught red handed doing something forbidden.

Aurora blushed as green eyes pierced hers, amusement evident as Maleficent scanned her up and down, zeroing in upon the ladle.

"And a ladle? Really?"

Shaking her head at the pair, she pushed off from the doorway from where she had been watching them and began striding towards the blonde, eyes trained on hers.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**

**Belated hello's to you all!**

**Very sorry for the slow update this week, I had two uni assignments in this week so had to prioritise.**

**Next week should be fine although don't hold me to it…**

**Hope you enjoy, review blah blah blah as always, it makes me smile when you do!**

**Have a wonderful day! (:**

Maleficent basked in the gaping of the pair, grateful that Diaval had paused his hip thrusting temporarily.

Upon reaching the girl, she held out her hand, daring her to take it.

Aurora's eyes shone with indecisiveness for a second, before grasping the hand offered, relishing the feel of the woman's warm skin against her own.

Stepping down from her makeshift stage, she hit the ground with more impact than expected, almost toppling over.

Maleficent grasped at the Aurora's other hand, steadying her and in doing so pulling her in more than she had precedented.

Their hips grazed against each other, the touch sending shocks through Aurora's body, making her gasp just audibly. Their faces were inches apart, the warmth of the older woman's breath playing on her face as she craned her head up to see more of the striking woman.

"Careful." Maleficent murmured, green eyes glinting knowingly. The tingling sensation at their contact hadn't only affected Aurora.

Cerulean blue maintained eye contact, slowly darkening as her fingers intertwined with the woman's lazily.

"I always am."

The girl's tone shocked Maleficent, her usual girlish voice turned husky as she uttered the words, and she could've sworn she'd pushed her body further towards her own.

"Ahem,"

Maleficent didn't react to Diaval's interruption, her eyes still locked with Aurora's in a battle of wills. There was no way she'd be the first to let go.

"You just ruined a beautiful moment, we were slaying Madonna!"

Aurora was the first to move, her gaze ripped away by the sound of crashing as Diaval slipped awkwardly from the island, banging the guitar on the counter on the way down.

"Ruining a beautiful moment... Isn't it tragic when that happens?"

Maleficent glanced back at the girl who had sidled out of her grasp marginally, her back now resting against the side, still encased by Maleficent's arms either side of her.

Aurora bit her lip shyly, all confidence drained under the woman's intense stare.

"It's tragedies all around today then!"

Maleficent scowled at her friend, feeling the girl brush her arm effectively breaking away from her hold.

"On the plus side, your dinner is served!"

Spying the plate on the table, she couldn't help but let her annoyance at Diaval subside slightly. He did make a good stir-fry.

"Thanks."

Shooting a glance at Aurora, she found the girl also looking at her, her expression curious. She seemed to be observing her, but the judgement she had made of Maleficent through this observation wasn't clear.

Maleficent pulled out a stool, twirling some of the lukewarm noodles around her fork.

"So Aurora, what brings you here? Besides Diaval's mediocre guitar playing?"

"Hey! I play with passion and that's the most important thing."

"Who told you that? Your mother?"

Diaval covered his mouth in mock offence, pulling his head back as if the words that escaped her mouth had physically hit him.

"Shots fired!"

"Don't you have something else to go Diaval? Someone else to irritate?"

Maleficent raised her eyebrows, moving her eyes minutely towards Aurora then towards the door, hoping he would get the hint. Leave her and the girl alone.

Before he could reply, Aurora spoke from the counter top, pushing off the side and walking to stand opposite Maleficent at the kitchen island.

"I wanted to speak with you." The resolve in her voice surprised her. She sounded far more confident than she felt, and was grateful for that.

"Of course you do, I'm a woman very in demand." Maleficent teased, biting the tip off a strip of carrot.

Aurora gulped at the movement, watching the way ruby lips moved slowly up and down as the woman chewed. Her eyes traced the woman's jawline, watching it work, temptingly revealing more of the woman's neck, only to conceal it again a chew later.

Maleficent's eyes never left the girls face, scrutinising her. What was going on in that pretty little brain?

"What would you like to speak about specifically?"

Aurora's gaze flitted back up to the emerald green eyes that bore into hers steadily.

"Ermm..."

It was Aurora's turn to motion to Diaval. She inclined her head slightly towards the door currently behind him.

Diaval chuckled, holding up his hands in defeat. Cast out of my own home, he thought.

"I'm ehh... I'll ermm go and put the guitar back, and... Yeah."

Throwing the two one last look each, a reassuring smile for Aurora, who looked slightly apprehensive at being left alone with the mysterious and captivating woman, and a suggestive eyebrow raise and wink for Maleficent.

As his footfalls disappeared down the corridor and up the stairs, Aurora turned her attention back to Maleficent.

The woman looked the antithesis of how Aurora felt. She was spearing various vegetables methodically, selecting each individual one before placing it in her mouth. She had her feet up on the stool next to her. The picture of calm and collected.

Aurora however, couldn't stop fidgeting. The calmness she had felt earlier had disappeared almost entirely, the pounding of her heart echoing into her ears, blood rushing too fast in her head. Her stomach flipped at every move the woman made, her eyes unable to decide between staring at her lips and her eyes.

Blinking slowly and purposefully, she collected her thoughts which had temporarily escaped her, brain space filled only with Maleficent's actions. Band practice. Right.

Clearing her throat to break the silence, Maleficent looked up from her noodles. Smiling, she gestured to the stool opposite her.

"Sit, please."

Aurora did as the woman said, leaning across the island and toying with the hanging utensils once again.

Maleficent didn't push the girl to say anything, choosing instead to watch her whilst she ate.

God she really was beautiful she thought. Conventionally so, yes, but this hardly changed the fact that she was breath-taking. Her honey blonde curls that had previously been stacked atop her head now flowed down her back, catching the rays of sunset that streaked through the window as it moved with the girl.

Long hair framed a face slightly rounded with youth still, only just clinging onto a strong yet feminine jawline evident under it. Dark lashes sat atop ocean blue eyes that shone with a life force that was almost painful to look at, as well being nearly impossible to look away from.

The girl was fidgeting, clearly struggling to find the right words to say whatever it was she wanted to. Her plump rosy lips parted slightly before closing again as she tried to form words.

There was more to her beauty than that though, Maleficent thought. She'd seen more than her fair share of beautiful people, woman, men, boys, girls in her time, but this one... This one was different.

It was that light. That invisible force field that surrounded her, casting hazy light and joy around. Just being near the girl soothed the ever roaring rage inside of her. It was unnerving; the girl clearly had no idea of the power she wielded. Had no idea of the effect she was having.

"You're really good at guitar!" The words burst unexpectedly from the girl's lips.

Maleficent's lips quirked upwards, trying to hide the smile that was creeping down her face.

Aurora tried not to blush, willing the blood to stay away from her face. The silence had been better.

"Thank you. But I have a feeling that's not what you came here to say?"

Chancing a look at the woman, she raised her chin stoically, forcing herself to hold her gaze. She would _not_ be a bumbling mess.

"No, it's not, but everyone likes to hear that they're good at their craft."

"Touché."

Maleficent got up from the stool, dumping her plate in the sink before facing Aurora.

"I came to ask you to come to practice tomorrow. Officially this time."

"Hmmm... Douche jeans will be there?"

"I assume you mean Phillip. And yes, yes he will. Well... Not at first."

Maleficent cocked her head to the side, signalling for Aurora to explain.

Sighing, Aurora cast her mind back to the way she had worded her proposition to her father.

"Well, I spoke to my father about it, and he thought the idea of you coming to play with us tomorrow was... Appropriate?"

Maleficent didn't react, not even at the mention of the girl's father, only inclined her head once again.

"He thought that maybe you could you know, just jam with us for a while, get to know the band, and then when Phillip turns up help us convince him to let you teach him."

"And what do I get out of this?"

Aurora blanched slightly. Huh. She honestly hadn't thought about that.

"Ermm, the pleasure of knowing you've helped us out?" She shrugged, smiling despite herself.

This earned a laugh from Maleficent. The sound melted any frost that lay over the conversation, Aurora giggled too, revelling in the fact she had made the rather standoffish woman laugh. She could get used to that.

"Wow, you really know the way to get me to do something." Maleficent murmured, walking towards Aurora.

Aurora felt her eyes widen as she approached, her pulse picking up.

Much to her disappointment, the woman only placed a hand on her shoulder, leading her towards the door.

"Come, we'll talk about this in the other room. I need to check my schedule."

Maleficent didn't remove her hand and Aurora didn't complain. Long fingers splayed across her shoulder softly, Maleficent's thumb grazing Aurora's collarbone accidentally every time they took a step.

They walked a few metres down the hallway, Maleficent stopping in front of a set of double doors.

Opening them with ease, she held one of them open, gesturing for Aurora to enter.

The sight was magnificent. They had entered some kind of office space, although it was far from any ordinary office.

The desk was no bigger than a desk you'd expect to find in a classroom. Most of the room was cluttered with flashes of Diaval's character. And birds.

There were birds everywhere, from little trinkets hand painted with vibrant shades to a beautifully intricate mural painted onto one of the walls, capturing all kinds of birds in flight.

Behind the desk, the entire floor to ceiling was adorned with books. Some were old and battered, well loved like a childhood toy, a memento of someone you used to be, some seemingly untouched, leather fresh and the spine crisp and free of the tell-tale signs of opening.

And the guitars! Flanking the dominating bay window were various guitars, mounted onto the wall with small scrawls underneath them, written directly onto the wall in Sharpie.

Maleficent followed Aurora's eyes that had now focussed on the Sharpie scrawls.

"Diaval treasures each guitar for a different reason."

Taking a few more steps towards the girl, she came to stop at her side, their arms almost touching.

Aurora felt goosebumps set her skin aflame, the fine hairs sticking up wildly, straining for contact. She gulped audibly, hoping that Maleficent hadn't noticed. The last thing she wanted was to look like some dumb teen in front of the sophisticated and slightly intimidating woman.

"That one was his first," Maleficent pointed to a small acoustic guitar, the wood aged by the natural oils of fingertips.

"Ermm, that one was his first bass. He paid an absurd amount for it." Maleficent shook her head fondly, imagining a much younger Diaval beaming with pride at his "steal".

"And that's the one he still plays. He's only mounted it because it's recently returned from repair work."

"Repair work? Rocked too hard?" Aurora's tone was teasing and light, tinged with genuine intrigue.

Maleficent turned to the girl, a small smile dancing on her lips.

"Funnily enough, yes. Diaval tends to get carried away sometimes. Especially if he's had a beer or two. You should see it, he thinks he's Flea or something."

Aurora laughed merrily, allowing herself to relax just as the woman seemed to be doing.

The small smile on Maleficent's lips grew wider at the sound and sight that graced her. When Aurora laughed the air danced with it, the world joining in her joy.

Blue eyes latched onto hers and drew her in almost hypnotically, the laughter slowly easing out of them, a rather curious look taking its place.

Realising she'd probably been staring more than was acceptable, Maleficent stirred with something similar to embarrassment, withdrawing her eyes from the girl's open gaze, coughing to try and ease the tension.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

Maleficent could feel herself closing up despite herself. She didn't like personal questions, even if they were from beautiful and intriguing people.

Sensing this change, Aurora smiled reassuringly, trying to keep her face controlled to show her questioning would not be too thorough.

"Do you tend to rock too hard?"

The slightly euphemistic edge to the question didn't go unnoticed by Maleficent, who raised her eyebrow, loving the fact that as she did so, the colour raised to Aurora's cheeks almost in sync.

"Only on the weekends."

Aurora giggled again, laughter bubbling out harder when Maleficent also shot her a wink for good measure.

"Anyway, enough about my rocking time; Schedule."

Her arm grew impossible hot, scalding so much that it felt freezing as it brushed against Aurora's briefly as she passed to the small desk.

Aurora bit back a gasp, searching Maleficent's face for any signs that she had felt the intense hot or cold too.

The mask of impassivity firmly back in place, Maleficent revealed nothing, instead rifling through the desk to find her small diary.

As she searched, Aurora took in the rest of the room, pacing it slowly, allowing her hand to run aimlessly along the surfaces it touched.

An almost magnetic attraction drew her to the mural. It was such a different style to that of the abstract piece in the entryway, yet it still exuded a certain style that told her it was the same artist.

Drowning in her own thoughts, she didn't hear Maleficent move into step behind her, having located the diary.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Fresh goosebumps travelled over Aurora's flesh, feeling the warm words of the woman spread across the nape of her neck, tantalisingly close. So close that if she leant back slightly she'd feel those ruby lips on the sensitive skin there, feel teeth scrape against her earlobe, warm wet tongue trace her jawline as her hands tangled in the brunette hair.

"Aurora?"

"Hmm?"

Reverie broken, Aurora moved her head so she could see Maleficent, confused as to what had just happened.

"The mural? It's beautiful...? Where were you just now?"

Maleficent's words turned softer towards the end, her eyebrow that had been raised slightly in amusement lowered as she regarded the girl's faraway gaze.

"Nowhere, I, I'm here. I just...got lost in the painting."

Breaking the eye contact for fear that Maleficent would somehow see the vision she just had, she returned to the wall.

"The motion is...impossibly stunning. How did it get done so quickly? Who was the artist?"

"A friend of ours. He's a drummer actually."

Aurora opened her mouth and let out an "oh".

Allowing a small laugh out, Maleficent nodded in agreement to the girls reaction.

"I know. A drummer being able to craft something so delicate is...strange to say the least. He's been working on it since Diaval secured the house, his house warming present as such."

"Well it's a great present." Aurora met green eyes warmly.

"I agree."

Silence passed over them for a few moments, as both women enjoyed the view and the company.

"Please say you can come tomorrow." Aurora near whispered, interrupting the silence.

She wasn't sure what it was in the girl's voice, but Maleficent felt an urge to tell her what she wanted. To agree. To do anything Aurora asked her to do, despite the squirming sensation in her gut that warned her against going. Warned her to run away from the beautiful and innocent blonde in front of her, for Aurora's own good. Everything she touched turned to poison.

But knowing she had the power to make the sadness disappear from Aurora's voice, that she held the power to make her smile again by essentially agreeing to do something she loved to do, was enough for her to force her squirming guts to be still. At least for now.

Aurora but her lower lip, feeling slightly pathetic at the needy way her request had come out. She was scared to meet the woman's eyes, knowing that she'd probably be smirking at her, that knowing look in her eyes that she's already grown to recognise.

Heat again. This time it was real as long fingers tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, stroking down her jawline, forcing her to turn her head.

Maleficent's eyes seemed somehow greener than before, a darker shade, clouded with something Aurora was sure she too was reflecting.

Lust.

Her breath came fast, her heartbeat speeding up in response, screaming to be free from her chest.

Oh god.

Maleficent's eyes unconsciously flicked down to the girls lips briefly, her words lost as soon as she had touched the girl's face.

Aurora noticed the woman's gaze, her heart roaring in response, urging her forwards.

"I will go."

"You will?"

Aurora's eyes never left Maleficent's as the words escaped breathily due to her erratic breathing.

"I will."

Maleficent withdrew her hand slowly, already yearning to reach back out.

A girl. She's just a girl.

Aurora saw green eyes close off again. And like that she was back to square one and she knew it.

"I have no plans of importance it seems, so it shouldn't be an issue. And you've made it sound as though our presence won't be needed for too long. Me and Diaval will come over, I'll play a few songs, I'll try and convince you boyfriend _Phillip_ to play it properly, and then I'll leave."

She couldn't help the venom that dripped from her voice as she spoke the insolent boy's name, and his title as such. She knew it was unwarranted to an extent, the boy seemed harmless enough. But there was something about seeing him lose his temper so quickly, his lack of hesitance to almost square up to Aurora, clearly a show of intimidation, that Maleficent despised.

Any man, or person for that matter, who squared up to or made their significant other feel threatened in any way went straight into Maleficent's bad books.

Aurora looked wounded at the words although she knew she shouldn't be. Phillip _was _her boyfriend after all. And Maleficent hadn't said anything wrong, in fact she was agreeing to Aurora's request.

Then why did she feel embarrassed? Like she was being reprimanded for something, something she hadn't done? What was worse was she felt guilty, and she wasn't sure what for.

_Maybe for pretty much fantasising about her eating your neck despite having a loving and caring boyfriend, _her conscience sneered.

"That's all I'm asking for."

Her voice rang out strongly, despite her crushed spirit.

Maleficent felt a pang of guilt, but it was fleeting, disappearing before she'd truly acknowledged it. This was for the girl's own good. Poison, she thought. I am poison.

"That's settled then. Me and Diaval will be over tomorrow at...?"

She trailed off, waiting for Aurora to confirm.

"6."

"Okay, 6 it is."

Another pause, this one decidedly more awkward than the first.

"Well I best get going then. Tell Diaval thanks for the food."

Spinning on her heel to leave, a hand shot out to stop her.

"And where are you going?"

Maleficent's eyes were playful. Seriously what was up with this woman's mood swings? She was worse than Jekyll and Hyde, Aurora mused.

"Ermm home?"

"I don't think so. Your father is away, yes?"

"Yes..." Aurora posed her answer as a question, bobbing her head, asking for a further explanation. Where was this going?

"So you'll be alone in the house?"

Aurora rolled her eyes.

"I'm 20 years old, I think I can handle being alone for a few nights."

Maleficent gripped tighter on her wrist.

"No, I think it's best you stay here."

"This isn't even your house!" Aurora laughed in disbelief, earning a smile from the woman, whose emerald eyes still gleamed mischievously despite her serious tone.

"It may as well be, and Diaval will agree. Diaval!"

Maleficent barked, hearing his footsteps start from just beyond the door. He'd been eavesdropping evidently.

"Your highness?" Diaval bowed low, throwing Aurora a wry smile.

"Aurora will be staying here tonight. She's home alone and well... I'd feel better if she weren't."

Diaval scoffed, shaking his head at his friend.

"Wow, I knew you were protective of young girls Mal, but this is next level crazy!"

"Thank you!" Aurora exclaimed. Not that the thought of staying was unattractive, she just hated being told what to do, being treated like a helpless child.

"I mean, Aurora, you will of course be staying here tonight, but not because you're not safe alone!"

Aurora's gleeful look turned to one of confusion at Diaval's words.

"Huh?"

"It's beer and movie night! So unless you have any better plans-which is impossible because nothing is better than a beer and movie night with me and Mal-then you're staying. I'll go and get the film choices!"

And with a flurry, Diaval left the room once more.

"You'll stay here tonight then. You can have the spare bed, I'll take the couch." Maleficent swept past the girl as she went to exit the room.

"Make me."

Maleficent paused in her tracks, a slow smile spreading across her face.

Facing Aurora, she met blue eyes challenging her, the girl's voice daring and sultry.

"Oh Aurora," the name was almost a purr as she strode slowly back towards the girl.

She stopped mere inches from her, placing a hand either side of Aurora's head on the book lined wall "I already have."

She watched the girls eyes widen, pupils dilating as they flitted around her face, trying to avoid lips that hovered above hers. She could feel her eyes becoming hooded as the woman inched closer and closer to her, green eyes refusing to look away.

Pulling a book from behind Aurora's head, she released her hold, backing towards the open door.

Blanching at the loss of warmth, blue eyes shot open to view Maleficent brandishing a book, grinning triumphantly as she exited the room.

Aurora stood stunned, trying to regain coherent thoughts.

As soon as she did she wished she didn't. Playing games with Maleficent were fun, but she knew she'd have to step it up. This was just the beginning, yet the woman was right.

"_Make me"_

_"I already have."_

Pushing off from the wall, she laughed despite herself, following the woman out of the study. Maleficent was right.

"She already had."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**

**Hello beautiful readers, we meet again.**

**Sorry for the delay once again, real life has a tendency to get in the way at the moment.**

**I do hope you enjoy as ever.**

**Not too sure about this one (although when am I ever sure!) but please feel free to comment etc etc, I love getting feedback from you all, it makes me look like this -**** :3**

**Hope you've all had a wonderful week or so.**

**Until next time…**

Maleficent took a deep, shaky breath as she grasped the kitchen counter, the copy of Wuthering Heights she'd grabbed on the way from the study tossed on the side.

"She's just a girl. Leave her." She muttered to herself, running one hand through her mahogany hair, grabbing a fist of it sharply.

"Hey."

Maleficent released her hair, surprised that Aurora had managed to sneak up on her.

She looked bashful, all confidence gone from moments ago.

"Hey." Maleficent returned, trying to keep the edge out of her voice from being caught off guard.

"I um, thought you might want me to help bring the beer through?"

"How old did you say you were again?"

Maleficent didn't really care whether the girl was old enough to drink. She'd been drinking far before the legal age. Watching Aurora squirm was just far too fun to resist.

"20. Nearly 21 though!"

She sounded defensive, but calmed when she saw a dry smile form on the woman's lips.

"Stop teasing me! First I can't stay in a house on my own, now I can't have a beer." Aurora muttered, unaware that she was pouting.

Maleficent smiled a bit wider, saying nothing.

"I'm not a child."

Aurora almost stomped to the fridge, hearing her display elicit a chuckle from the woman.

She hid her own smile behind the fridge door, grabbing three loose beer bottles as well as the crate residing behind them.

"Clearly."

Slamming the door shut, Aurora gazed around the kitchen, opening a few drawers.

Maleficent opened the one nearest to her, producing a bottle opener, sliding it across the counter.

"Thanks."

Aurora made quick work of the bottles, sending one skidding towards Maleficent's awaiting hand.

"You're most welcome."

Thundering footsteps sounded down the stairs.

"Ouch, Shit."

Diaval almost crashed into the stray boxes still lying untouched in the hallway, instead skidding into the table, the corner catching his hip.

He hobbled into the kitchen, brandishing a handful of DVD's.

"Okay, so I don't know what you guys were in the mood for, so I grabbed a mixture. There's some chips and dip in the cupboard. I see you've got the beers covered, let's do this!"

Diaval skittered out of the kitchen, motioning for the pair to follow.

Maleficent rolled her eyes at her friends display, but grabbed the food from the cupboard he had motioned to nonetheless.

"You good with the beer?" Maleficent questioned over her shoulder.

Aurora held up the beer, nodding.

"Let's go then."

They entered into a low-lit living room, furnished in woody colours, continuing the natural theme that ran through the house.

Diaval had already laid out the DVD's and claimed his spot on the sofa.

"What delights have you chosen for us tonight?"

"Well miss," he sprung back off the sofa, holding up each DVD in turn.

"We have... Donnie Darko for all your cult classic delights, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle for all your girls kicking ass and looking good whilst doing so, The Conjuring for shitting your pants, The Devil Wears Prada for Meryl Streep sass, 300 for you know, the man points and... The Notebook for a good ol' tearjerker."

Maleficent reached out and swiped the Notebook out of Diaval's hand.

"Veto."

"But they're old and she forgets him and then remembers him and then they die together!" Diaval's hair flopped in front of his face and he tried in vain to blow it back up.

"It's Nicholas Sparks. No." Maleficent glared at the offending item, taking it from Diaval's hand and tossing it onto a vacant armchair.

"Fine. Aurora? Veto one."

"Hmmm..." Aurora leant forward from her perch on the larger sofa that Diaval had occupied moments ago. She scanned each one intently, her brow furrowing adorably.

Just a girl. Just a girl, Mal reminded herself., chanting it like a mantra.

"300."

Diaval groaned.

"Oh be quiet, you only put that one in to save face, we all know you're hoping for Charlie's Angels!"

Aurora giggled, tossing the DVD to join the notebook.

"No, I hate that movie."

"Oh yeah? Then Veto it."

Diaval looked pained as he obliged Maleficent's challenge, moving his hand painfully slowly over the cover, sliding it to the reject pile.

"See? Doesn't bother me."

"Oh put it back." Maleficent shook her head. Sometimes he really was an idiot.

"Fine. Veto Darko, not in the mood."

"So we got Charlie's Angels, The Conjuring or Devil Wears Prada?"

"Veto Devil Wears Prada, I'm in no mood for Hathaway grinning smugly at nothing." Grumbling, Maleficent opened the bag of tortilla chips, nibbling on one thoughtfully.

Diaval flashed his best Hathaway smile, moving his arms like a robot.

"I. Am. Happy. Must. Smile. No one just walks down the street smiling so goddamn much! Her jaw must've killed after filming that."

Settling further into the sofa, Aurora laughed warmly, picking up a bird adorned cushion and hugging it to her.

"Conjuring! Definitely Conjuring."

"Are you sure? Sure you don't want to watch Charlie's Angels?"

Aurora sniggered as Maleficent shot her a look, winking conspiringly**.**

"Just put the damn film on." Diaval huffed at Maleficent, grabbing the bag of chips from her hands before retreating to the sofa, plonking down on one side of Aurora.

Maleficent shoved the DVD into the drive on the TV, trying not to crack a smile at the scowl still present on Diaval's face as he shovelled chips into his mouth grumpily.

She flicked the light switch on the way, shrouding the room in darkness before sitting on the other side of Aurora.

"Sorry if I grab you, I'm not too good at scary movies."

Although Maleficent couldn't see Aurora's face clearly, she could just make out the girl's clear blue eyes reflecting the dim light from the TV.

"It's fine, I'm sure by the end of the film I'll have both you and Diaval sat on my lap."

"Hey! I'm fine with Horror films!"

Maleficent scoffed, leaning forward past Aurora to stare at Diaval incredulously.

"Oh please! You call sleeping with the lights on for 3 days after watching Jeepers Creepers 'fine'?"

"It was 2 days actually, not 3."

Diaval dipped a particularly large chip into the salsa, turning away from Maleficent's raised eyebrows and amused look.

Maleficent shot a glance at Aurora, who had been giggling slightly throughout the exchange and smiled warmly at the girl. She'd curled her feet up under herself and pulled the cushion further up her body, her eyes only just visible over the top.

"Dear God. Are you two babies ready?"

The pair nodded at her without much conviction, to which Maleficent laughed once more before pressing play on the remote.

Aurora swigged her beer with one hand, the other still clutching the pillow, trying to ignore the fact that when she moved her arm to take a sip from the bottle it brushed against Maleficent's on its descent.

Every time there was a "jumpy" moment during the film, Maleficent's couldn't help but notice that Aurora would edge further towards her, her shoulder leaning further into her own.

Each time it did, Aurora would try not to react, keeping her eyes glued on the screen despite the fact she could feel the woman glancing at her.

"Oh my God she's possessed isn't she?! It's gone into the mum!" Diaval screeched, handing both women another beer, munching loudly on the tortilla chips.

"No?! Really?" Sarcasm dripped from Maleficent's voice as she took the beer from his outstretched hand, leaning over Aurora as she did so.

"You okay?" Maleficent murmured.

"I'm- I'm fine." Aurora pulled the pillow further over her eyes, hiding herself from the exorcism occurring on screen.

"You sure?"

Seeing the woman's green eyes twinkling amusedly in the low light, Aurora playfully hit her arm.

"I'm fine!"

Maleficent chuckled as Diaval shushed them both, sliding towards the edge of his seat, engrossed in the film.

Aurora's arm stayed in contact with Maleficent's, taking more safety from the warmth and softness of her skin than the pillow.

Maleficent fought the urge to shy away, unused to the open human contact.

Tutting under her breath at the several horror movie clichés playing out on screen, she focussed instead on watching the girl out of her peripheral vision.

Her eyes were wide with fear, her small hand clutching the pillow tightly against her, fist clenched and distorting the multiple birds faces.

She could see her breathing pick up, unsure as to whether it was due to the incantations spilling out of Patrick Wilson's mouth or the increased contact between them both whenever she moved to grab some chips.

With each handful she nestled more into Maleficent, her blonde curls resting delicately on Maleficent's shoulders, strands spilling onto the woman's face.

A faint scent of strawberries and something more natural and warm washed over Maleficent, teasing her nostrils.

She began breathing through her mouth. No good would come of sniffing a near stranger's hair. A near stranger who was nearly 10 years her younger. And had a boyfriend.

Oblivious to the torment Maleficent was facing, Aurora's leg hitched up slightly into the woman's thigh and her shoulder now settled firmly underneath Maleficent's arm. She turned her head from the film to apologise.

The words stuck in her throat as she found green eyes piercing her own, unaware as to quite how close their heads had been to each other before she turned.

Maleficent gazed back at the girl, watching her swallow and breathe in sharply as she realised how far her fear of the film had put her towards her.

"Sorry." Aurora breathed out steadily, trying to keep her eyes averted from the ruby lips of the woman, glistening slightly with stray drops of beer.

"It's alright."

Maleficent was surprised at the truth in her own words. And slightly concerned. It had taken years for her to allow Diaval to even brush her shoulder, and in strolls this... Girl. And here she is, only slightly uneasy about her practically draping herself across her lap.

Aurora scanned the woman's face, trying to assess whether she was being polite or if she really was okay with her.

Maleficent smiled tightly, moving the girl's leg further onto her own, allowing them to extend fully over her own.

"More comfortable?"

Aurora held her breath slightly, warmth spreading through her at the feeling of the woman's long and slender legs supporting her own.

"Yes. Thank you."

Maleficent returned her attention to the film, already regretting her actions. She's just a girl. A girl with a boyfriend. Repeat the mantra.

Aurora sensed the sudden coldness in Maleficent's stiff demeanour, and turned back to the film also, deflated.

As the film drew to a close, the credits appearing on the screen, Diaval flicked the light on and looked at his two companions.

Aurora was huddled closely against Maleficent's side, sitting almost sideways, both of her legs draped across the woman's, her head resting in the crook of her neck, peering out at the screen.

"Well what do we have here?"

Diaval smirked at the sight, shaking his head.

As Aurora fought to untangle her limbs, Maleficent straightened her back and shuffling awkwardly beside her, brushing non-existent crumbs off her much loved Sex Pistols t-shirt.

"I know you said you'd have us both on your lap by the end, but I thought you were joking."

"Shut up! I was scared!"

Diaval laughed at Aurora, her face flustered as she slid away from the woman.

"So was I but I didn't get any snuggles."

"We weren't snuggling." Maleficent snapped, swiftly downing the rest of her beer.

"Okay, okay!" Diaval held his hands up in defeat, shrinking under Maleficent's glare.

"It's late anyway, I'm gonna turn in, give you two a little more snuggle time."

Diaval had already ducked out of the room, but he heard the distinctive light thump of two pillows hitting the doorframe and Maleficent angrily yelling after him.

"I hope that Annabelle comes and drags you out of bed tonight!"

His laughter echoed down the hallway, but Maleficent maintained her glare.

"It's alright he's gone now."

Aurora's playful tone was enough to make Maleficent shift her focus back onto the girl next to her.

Her gloriously blue eyes were slightly glazed over, the beer almost visible as a haze over them. Blonde tresses trailed messily down her back, tousled from hiding in Maleficent's neck.

"You can stop scowling." She leant slowly towards Maleficent, her forefinger outstretched.

Maleficent didn't move, merely watched the finger moving closer to her face.

It smoothed out her brow, returning it to its neutral state, free of frown lines.

"There," Aurora allowed her finger to drop, fighting the urge to trace it along the woman's sharp cheekbones and down to her strong jawline.

"Much better."

Maleficent didn't react to the touch, keeping her face steady.

"You're drunk."

Her eyebrow arched, her gaze shooting to the 4 empty bottles by Aurora's end of the sofa.

"No!" Aurora scoffed, although she had to admit, her head did feel a little fuzzy.

"Maybe it's time for you to call it a night too."

Maleficent chuckled as she pushed herself up from the sofa, stretching her arms above her head. Her limbs had gone to sleep under the weight of Aurora's leaning body.

"No!" Aurora grabbed the woman's wrist, trying to pull her back into the sofa. Also trying to ignore the small strip of toned skin that had been revealed to her as the woman's top rode up as her arms did.

Maleficent merely watched Aurora struggle to pull her down, laughing silently, her shoulders shaking.

Aurora giggled, as all she managed to achieve was to collapse further into the sofa herself.

"I'm not going to bed yet, you silly beast, I'm just going to get you some water."

Maleficent's voice was soothing, and coming from anyone else would've been slightly patronising. But in it she heard only an amused reassurance.

"Oh. Okay."

Maleficent felt small hands release their pathetic hold on her as she hastily exited.

"And bring a blanket! I'm cold!"

Shaking her head, she made quick work of pouring two glasses of water, one for Aurora and one for herself, grabbing some spare bedding from an airing cupboard along the large main hallway of the house.

Balancing the objects, she returned to see Aurora waiting patiently, having curled up into one corner of the sofa.

"Your water, madam."

Aurora took the glass gratefully and took three large gulps, nearly finishing it completely.

"Small sips. You don't want to drink too much, you might be sick."

Aurora rolled her eyes, making a show of taking a dainty sip, before setting it on the coffee table.

Maleficent shot Aurora a stern look as she settled onto the opposite side of the sofa, to which Aurora merely stuck out her tongue.

"I'm not afraid of you, you know."

"You should be."

Although Maleficent was half joking, she couldn't help but keep a serious undertone to her voice.

"Why should I be?" Aurora toyed with a frayed edge of the thick tartan blanket Maleficent had brought her.

"You don't strike me as scary. A little intimidating, yes, and mysterious. But not scary."

"Hmm." Maleficent processed this, averting her eyes to a small crack on the ceiling. She'd have to get Balthazar round to fill it.

"Intimidating how?"

It was Aurora's turn to think now, her beer-laced brain trying to think of something smart to say.

"You're very tall."

Maleficent couldn't contain the laugh that tore through her, smiling widely as the girl buried her head in the blanket, clearly embarrassed.

Maleficent pulled the blanket towards her, covering herself with it also, revealing some of the girls face. It was still flushed red.

"I'm not that tall."

"You are!" Aurora looked up now, pulling the blanket up around her chin, still laughing embarrassedly.

"I mean, that's not the only reason, but you are tall."

"The other reasons being...?"

"You... You just... You exude this...confidence. Like, you just seem to know everything that's going through my mind and you're just so comfortable in all these weird situations. It's very off putting."

Maleficent was taken aback at the girl's assessment. She certainly didn't know what was going through her mind, although she wished she did.

"Weird situations being the events of today, yes?"

Aurora had tried to articulate what she meant to little avail she knew.

"Well yeah! I mean I assume it's not everyday that you tear down a boy's hopes and dreams of being a successful guitar player, get practically begged to become his mentor by a girl you barely know and then invite said girl over for the evening?"

Aurora's voice was light and cheerful, even at the covert mention of Philip. Maleficent had watched her face extra carefully at that part.

"No, admittedly not everyday. Although I hardly crushed his hopes and dreams, he should've known he wasn't achieving as high a standard as was necessary without me having to tell him."

This time at his mention, Aurora's face grew less exuberant, a crease forming between her eyes.

Maleficent noticed and debated whether to press the subject or not. On the one hand she had no particular desire to talk of douche jeans, but she wasn't fond of the way the questioning was going. It was far too focussed on her for her liking, steering it back towards Aurora would perhaps deter any more prying and personal questions.

"Something wrong?"

Aurora restarted playing with the frayed edge of the blanket, keeping her eyes down.

"No. Yes. I don't know."

"Anything you'd like to talk about?"

Sighing, Aurora looked up from the tartan, meeting a steady green gaze.

"Well... It's just Philip."

Biting back the snort that rose up her throat like bile, Maleficent struggled to keep her expression impassive. After all, the subject was either douche jeans, or herself. She knew which she'd take any day.

Nodding ever so slightly, Aurora took the motion as a signal to continue talking.

"It's just not the same anymore." She could feel her eyes filling up with tears, a strange sensation flooding through her as all her wrought emotions fought for dominance inside of her, threatening to spill over.

"For months I've been telling myself that it's okay, that it's different, but it's okay because I know that we love each other…on some level."

Maleficent listened slightly incredulously. To imagine douche jeans being worthy of such a beautiful and pure creature's love seemed absurd. But she held her tongue.

"But... But what if I don't anymore? What if we don't anymore? We've been together all of our lives. Our father's were friends, we've always lived within 10 minutes of each other..."

Aurora trailed off, allowing her thoughts to drift onto her tongue, knowing that her speech wouldn't be judged by her silent companion.

"I feel like...I feel like we love each other out of habit, you know? Like, we're both clinging onto the echoes of something that we once had, but haven't felt or had in months. Hell, maybe years."

Reaching out tentatively, Maleficent took one of the girl's hands in both of hers, cradling the small fingers in her own.

Her thumb rubbed soothing patterns along the back of Aurora's hand, feeling the dents of each individual bone in her knuckles.

The action seemed natural, despite the situation being rather uncomfortable for Maleficent. Deep discussions of feelings were not her forte.

Aurora remained faraway, captured in the words she willed to come forth.

"In truth, I haven't loved Philip since my mum died. Which is horrible. He helped me through so much, he was there for me when no one else was."

Her free hand balled itself into a fist, crumpling up the blanket. Focussing on the material fibres beneath her hand and the way it yielded to her power helped her bade the tears away.

"And I haven't told him how I feel. That's how I repay his kindness and love, with false words and actions. That makes me a terrible person, doesn't it?"

Aurora laughed mirthlessly, biting her lip in a further attempt to distract her eyes from the need to form tears.

Shaking her head roughly, Maleficent shuffled closer to the girl, pulling her softly against her side.

Aurora gratefully latched on, burying her head in the woman's aged band t-shirt, watching as the first few drops turned the faded grey colour to its original glory.

"Of course it doesn't."

Maleficent allowed herself to stroke a hand carefully through Aurora's hair, fingers gently untangling blonde locks as she went.

"We can't control who we fall in love with Aurora, any more than we can control who we fall out of love with."

She could feel sobs wracking through the petite girl's body, her arms clinging more tightly around her waist.

"You haven't told him because you feel like you can't. You feel you are indebted to him for his support."

Maleficent had no idea whether she was on the right track, but she had to say something to try and soothe the girl.

Why had Diaval gone to bed so early? He was far better at dealing with drunk and emotional people than she was.

"Well you aren't, Aurora. He did you a kindness, and I know you will be forever grateful for that, if not through your love for him... Then through friendship. Love shouldn't be an obligation or a duty,"

The shaking of Aurora had calmed a lot, although her breathing still remained erratic and shallow. Small fingers had delicately found their way to Maleficent's waist, poking their way through the cigarette burn holes in the fabric there.

"Love at your age should be simple. It should set you free."

Maleficent kept the pain and anger out of her voice, glad that Aurora's head was still buried in her shoulder. She didn't want her to see the conflict playing out across her face as flashes of times long since passed berated her vision, or sense the intense need that Maleficent currently had to push her as far away as possible.

After several minutes of hair stroking from Maleficent, the motion easing her own panicky urges, and idle probing of various holes in the woman's t-shirt from Aurora, their breathing became synchronised.

Matching breath for breath, Maleficent leaned away from the girl slightly, looking down at her form.

Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes closed almost entirely, eyelids fluttering in a state of half sleep. Blonde hair splayed out everywhere despite Maleficent's attempts to tame it with her fingers, and those small hands still grasped at Maleficent's shirt with surprising strength.

"Aurora."

"Mmmm?"

There was a questioning tone to Aurora's mumble.

Maleficent felt a dull stirring in her chest as she kept her eyes fixed on the girl as she twisted further into her, her head now resting in the curve of Maleficent's arm.

Seeing the innocent fix of Aurora's brow in her sleep, she was assaulted by memories of a sickeningly familiar face that arose just as quickly as it had arrived.

Although the image had gone too quickly for Maleficent to place what it meant, looking down upon the sweet and innocent girl burrowed into her caused not only the stirrings in her chest to swell, but also the cold twinge of a sickness in her stomach.

She sighed, feeling the girl's slumber deepen as her form fell slack against her. Only those tiny fists served as any sign that she was still conscious on some level.

"What on earth are you doing to me?" Maleficent murmured softly.

Carrying the sleeping form up the stairs, she placed her under the cover of the spare bed easily, having trouble only in detaching Aurora's fists from her t-shirt.

Taking one last look back at the girl as she crept out of the room, Maleficent willed the swirling in her chest to stop, forcing her heart back to stone with each beat.

_Just a girl. Just a girl. Just a girl._

It beat it's reminder, the fractures of last time bared beneath its ticking.

_With a boyfriend. With a boyfriend. With a boyfriend._

This warning was sneered at by a small part of her, for it was a boyfriend she had no love for.

But the small frown still present even in sleep, the set of her eyes brought back the sick feeling to Maleficent's stomach.

_Whose father may be him. Whose father may be him. Whose father may be him._

The stone stayed put on her chest this time, her chin tilted upwards defiantly.

"Goodnight beastie."

And with that she fled from the room that mere beats ago had given her mind comfort and heart freedom, but now only served to torture her heart and soul.

She fled down the staircase, snatching a leather jacket from the bannister as she went, and into the night, fleeing from the demons that chased her.


End file.
